HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how much has been spent by the House Service (a) in total and (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed in the House Service for this purpose.

John Thurso: The Diversity and Inclusion Team was set up as a separate entity in April 2011. Since then, its staff numbers and costs have been:
	
		
			  2011-12 2012-13 
			 Full-time equivalent staff (number) 3 4 
			    
			 Staff costs (£) 152,268 202,308 
			 Non-staff costs (equality and diversity training for staff) (£) 23,132 14,675 
			 Total 175,400 216,983 
		
	
	Before 2011-12, diversity and inclusion work was embedded in the Learning and Development Team and costs are not separately identifiable. The rise from 2011-12 to 2012-13 represents increased responsibilities of the team, including the transfer of work from other areas in the House Service.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Oliver Heald: The information requested is contained in the following tables.
	
		
			 £ 
			 TSol(1) 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Deloitte — 2,282 25,600 — 108,330 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers 102,362 137,346 233,414 183,606 98,385 
			 KPMG 69,000 — — — — 
			 Ernst and Young — 28,582 22,972 — — 
		
	
	
		
			 £ 
			 AGO(1) 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Deloitte 61,405 — — — — 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers — — — — — 
			 KPMG — — — — — 
			 Ernst and Young — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 £ 
			 CPS 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Deloitte — — 26,365 10,863 23,365 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers(1) 431,857 140,000 — 17,093 — 
			 KPMG — 66,715 — 600 — 
			 Ernst and Young — 271,028 34,624 — — 
		
	
	
		
			 £ 
			 SFO 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Deloitte — — — — — 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers — 307,600 243,200 — — 
			 KPMG 1,746,247 — — — — 
			 Ernst and Young — — — 207,802 — 
			 (1)( )£571,851 of this expenditure relates to rent and service charge payments in respect of a building leased from PricewaterhouseCoopers. Note: HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate have not incurred any expenditure with these companies since 2008.

Confiscation Orders

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what estimate has been made of the amount of money subject to Crown Prosecution Service confiscation orders that is located overseas; and what estimate has been made of the amount held in jurisdictions (a) inside and (b) outside the EU.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is unable to provide an estimate of the amount of money subject to all CPS confiscation orders that is located overseas. However, on 7 January 2013, the CPS asked its prosecutors to estimate the percentage of identified assets that were located overseas in cases for which the CPS had the lead enforcement role.
	In respect of the cases for which Area CPS had the lead enforcement role, it was estimated that 10% of the cases included identified overseas assets with an estimated value of almost £12 million.
	In respect of the more complex and higher value cases,, including those in respect of organised criminals, dealt with by the Proceeds of Crime Unit based in the Organised Crime Division of the CPS, it was estimated that 18% of the cases included identified overseas assets with an estimated value of almost £74 million.
	‘From approximately April 2012, the Joint Asset Recovery Database (JARD) has included the capability of inputting details of where an overseas asset is located. The JARD is used by the CPS, financial investigators and Her Majesty's Court and tribunal Service (HMCTS) for recording information regarding asset recovery orders. When a confiscation order is made the financial investigator enters the details of the order onto the JARD.
	In respect of all confiscation orders obtained by the CPS from 1 April 2012 to 11 July 2013, the total estimated value of identified overseas assets recorded on JARD is over £142 million, of which £31,154,725 is located within the EU and an estimated £111,604,508 is located in jurisdictions outside the EU.

Confiscation Orders

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how much is owed to the Crown Prosecution Service in outstanding confiscation orders worth more than £50,000.

Oliver Heald: Confiscation orders are not owed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Payment is made to Her Majesty's Court and Tribunal Service (HMCTS). The HMCTS has the responsibility for the enforcement of all domestic confiscation orders. The Crown Prosecution Service will assist in the enforcement process when it can add value by managing restraint orders, seeking the appointment of private sector enforcement receivers in respect of UK based assets and/or by requesting mutual legal assistance from overseas jurisdictions in respect of assets located abroad. When the prosecutor can no longer provide additional value, the lead enforcement role reverts to the HMCTS.
	The amount due in respect of confiscation orders worth more than £50,000 for which the CPS currently has the enforcement lead is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Confiscation orders 
			 Balance outstanding (£) 496,051,781.44 
			 Interest Accrued (£) 145,287,508.15 
			 Total outstanding (£) 641,339,289.59 
			 Total Number of orders 1,003 
		
	
	In the five years commencing 1 April 2008, approximately £497.8 million has been enforced by the CPS and the HMCTS in respect of confiscation orders obtained by the CPS.

Confiscation Orders

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many outstanding confiscation orders owed to the Crown Prosecution Service worth more than £50,000 are older than (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years, (d) four years and (e) five years.

Oliver Heald: Confiscation orders are not owed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Payment is made to Her Majesty's Court and Tribunal Service (HMCTS). The HMCTS has the responsibility for the enforcement of all domestic confiscation orders. The Crown Prosecution Service will assist in the enforcement process when it can add value by managing restraint orders, seeking the appointment of private sector enforcement receivers in respect of UK based assets and/or by requesting mutual legal assistance from overseas jurisdictions in respect of assets located abroad. When the prosecutor can no longer provide additional value, the lead enforcement role reverts to the HMCTS.
	The number of outstanding confiscation orders for which the CPS currently has the lead worth more than £50,000 and are older than (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years, (d) four years and (e) five years are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
			 Older than one year 756 
			 Older than two years 586 
			 Older than three years 445 
			 Older than four years 345 
			 Older than five years 262

Crown Prosecution Service

Philip Davies: To ask the Attorney-General what wasted costs were ordered against the Crown Prosecution Service in each geographical area and for what reason such costs were awarded in each of the last three years.

Oliver Heald: There are a range of costs orders that can be made against the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). These include costs orders under Section 19 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, where an order may be made that one party pay the costs of the other party to criminal proceedings. Such an order may be made when the court is satisfied that the costs in question have been incurred by party A as a result of "an unnecessary or improper act or omission by or on behalf of” party B.
	Costs can also be ordered under section 19A of the same Act where an order may be made against a legal representative that she/he pay "wasted costs". Wasted costs are costs incurred as a result of improper, unreasonable or negligent act or omission on the part of any representative or the employee of any representative.
	Furthermore, costs can be ordered under Section 19B of the same Act against third parties to pay the costs incurred by any other party to the proceedings.
	Finally, in civil proceedings, such as restraint proceedings when dealing with matters under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, inter-parties costs orders can be made which follow the event, namely that costs are awarded against the losing party.
	The CPS does not retain central records of the cost awards orders made against the Department. The CPS does maintain records of the overall value of costs payments made but does not distinguish between the various types of costs order listed above. To ascertain the types and value of individual costs awards made against over the last three years would require a review of each case and this would incur disproportionate cost.
	The value of payments made in respect of costs awards ordered against the CPS in each geographical area for the last three years are shown in the following table. These figures do not include cost awards against the CPS for non-geographic casework divisions.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Cost awards against the CPS 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 P01 Cymru Wales 5,028 6,419 30,211 
			 P02 East of England 3,944 6,086 672 
			 P03 East Midlands 13,118 18,676 61,652 
			 P04 London 320,836 212,465 322,025 
			 P05 Merseyside & Cheshire 22,403 2,607 5,515 
			 P06 North East 0 3,148 443 
			 P07 North West 22,964 8,758 14,399 
			 P08 South East 11,922 8,485 24,626 
			 P09 South West 9,934 6,102 815 
			 P10 Thames & Chiltern 18,903 49,539 21,681 
			 P11 Wessex 8,198 2,619 1,596 
			 P12 West Midlands 46,861 20,611 11,803 
			 P13 Yorkshire & Humberside 15,613 15,764 13,382 
			  Total for geographical areas 499,724 361,279 508,820

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Crown Prosecution Service spent on exit packages worth in excess of £100,000 since May 2010.

Oliver Heald: Since May 2010 the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has spent £10.4 million on 87 exit packages worth in excess of £100,000. The following table presents the numbers of exit packages and their total value by year:
	
		
			  Number of exit packages in excess of £100,000 Value of exit packages per year (£) 
			 May 2010 to 2011 10 1,599,063.00 
			 2011 to 2012 41 4,632,770.53 
			 2012 to 2013 23 2,672,854.66 
			 2013 to 2014 13 1,490,018.33 
			    
			 Total 87 10,394,706.00

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General with reference to the Crown Prosecution Service Annual Report 2012-13, what the circumstances were and what actions were taken with respect to the 26 instances of unauthorised information disclosure by staff of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Oliver Heald: 22 of the unauthorised disclosures involved the inadvertent disclosure of information, for example, witness addresses, to a third party during criminal proceedings. Such information should have been redacted during the case preparation.
	The remaining four unauthorised disclosures involved the inadvertent disclosure of personal data of CPS staff to other staff members.
	Remedial action is taken on a case by case basis and consisted of the following:
	(a) Attempts to recover the information made and inform the individual's concerned, if applicable to do so;
	(b) Reporting to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), where appropriate, and in accordance with their Data Security Breach Notification Requirements;
	(c) Further training and awareness delivered to staff where necessary.

Northcote House

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Law Officers' Departments used the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Oliver Heald: Serious Fraud Office (SFO) records show that 19 officials attended a staff away day at Sunningdale in 2011-12. Other SFO staff may on occasion have attended Northcote House to contribute to National School of Government sessions however this information is not recorded centrally.
	While officials of remaining Law Officers' Departments may have attended National School for Government courses during 2010-11 and 2011-12 no information is held to show how many of these officials used the facilities at Northcote House.
	There is no record of the Law Officers having used these facilities during the specified years.

Serious Fraud Office

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Serious Fraud Office has paid to Slaughter and May for the work on the defence of the damages claim brought against it by the Tchenguiz brothers to date.

Oliver Heald: The Serious Fraud Office will put into the public domain the total amount spent on fees paid to its external providers, including legal advisers, at the conclusion of the case.

Serious Fraud Office

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Serious Fraud Office spent on external advocacy in (a) 2012-13 and (b) each of the seven preceding years.

Oliver Heald: The total spent by the Serious Fraud Office on external counsel for each of the last eight financial years is in the table. This information is available in the SFO annual accounts.
	The Serious Fraud Office does not routinely distinguish between external advocacy and other services provided by external counsel when recording legal expenditure and it is therefore not possible to provide the information requested without incurring disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  £000 
			 2012-13 5,059 
			 2011-12 4,697 
			 2010-11 4,437 
			 2009-10 4,354 
			 2008-09 4,800 
			 2007-08 5,698 
			 2006-07 4,337 
			 2005-06 4,284

Victim Personal Statement Scheme

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of cases brought to court included a victim personal statement in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Dominic Grieve: The Victim Personal Statement (VPS) scheme gives victims an opportunity to describe the wider effects of a crime upon them, express their concerns and indicate whether or not they require any support. Making a VPS is entirely optional and a victim can make more than one VPS. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a record of the number of cases where a victim opted to make a VPS. This information could only be obtained by examining individual files at disproportionate cost.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much her Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Theresa Villiers: Because of the devolution of policing and justice functions on 12 April 2010, my Department does not hold figures for the periods prior to 2010; attempting to obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.
	Since then, the amounts spent by my Department on contracts with the specified bodies were as follows:
	(a) 2012-13: £51,347 (excluding VAT);
	(b) Nil;
	(c) 2011-12: £12,196 (excluding VAT); 2012-13: £20,553 (excluding VAT);
	(d) Nil.

Parades

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she is taking to ensure that the right to parade is guaranteed in a future Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: It remains clear that there is currently no consensus on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland, including on the content of any Bill, despite the substantial efforts made in the years since the Belfast Agreement. The Government stands ready to take action as required to implement any locally-agreed solution.

WALES

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Stephen Crabb: Nothing.

Grant Thornton

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department has spent on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008.

Stephen Crabb: Nothing.

Military Bases

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he has visited units of the armed forces based in Wales in an official capacity.

Stephen Crabb: Wales Office Ministers meet regularly with armed forces personnel based in Wales. Most recently, the Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd West (Mr Jones), and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Randerson, attended the Armed Forces Day event in Cardiff on 29 June to celebrate the valuable contribution our forces make.
	The Wales Office website is frequently updated with information about Ministers' engagements. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are also published as part of the Wales Office quarterly transparency returns.

Northcote House

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department used the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Crabb: Wales Office Ministers have not used the facilities at Northcote House in the last three financial years. The Wales Office does not hold data on officials' use of the facilities.

Revenue and Customs

Paul Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  whether he plans to meet with Welsh Government Ministers to discuss the proposed closure of HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centres in Wales;
	(2)  when he last met the Chancellor of the Exchequer to discuss the closure of HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centres in Wales.

David Jones: My Department is in close communication with HM Treasury regarding the proposals from HM Revenue and Customs to introduce a new service to support customers. I have written to the First Minister confirming that no decision has been taken on the future of the HMRC's inquiry centres in Wales. An announcement on the future of individual inquiry centres will be made in early 2014.

SCOTLAND

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has had no contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Apprentices

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what strategies he has to create apprenticeships in his Department; and what plans he has to promote such strategies.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly therefore it cannot create apprenticeships. However, as the majority of staff join on an assignment arrangement, principally from the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice, the office has the opportunity to fill administrative positions through the apprenticeship schemes offered by these parent employers, as and when vacancies arise.

Grant Thornton

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has had no contracts with Grant Thornton since 2008.

Northcote House

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department used the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell: No Ministers or officials in the Scotland Office have used the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13.

Redundancy

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials in his Department resident in Scotland have been made redundant through compulsory redundancy schemes since May 2010; and how much this has cost his Department.

David Mundell: No officials in the Scotland Office have been made redundant through compulsory redundancy schemes since May 2010.

Royal Mail

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last had (a) oral and (b) written communication with the Scottish Government on the proposed privatisation of Royal Mail.

David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), and I have not had any oral and written communications with the Scottish Government on the proposed privatisation of Royal Mail specifically, but we maintain regular contact with Scottish Government Ministers on a range of business issues of relevance to Scotland.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Arctic

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make it his policy to support the creation of a global sanctuary in the Arctic off limits to new oil and gas exploitation and industrial fishing and covering the area of international waters around the North Pole beyond Arctic states' exclusive economic zones; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: The Government is pressing for a new Implementing Agreement under the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea for the regulation of the protection of marine biodiversity in areas beyond National Jurisdiction. In the event that this becomes a reality, the Government will work with the Arctic Council, Arctic states and the UN to establish whether there is a scientific basis for an internationally recognised marine protected area in the Arctic.

Electricity: Prices

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the number of households which will be paying higher electricity bills by 2020 as a result of the Government's climate change policies.

Michael Fallon: The Government's recent assessment of the impacts of energy and climate change policies on consumer energy bills(1) finds that electricity prices are likely to increase to 2020, with or without policies, as a result of rising wholesale energy and network costs. Although the costs of policies to support low carbon investment, improve energy efficiency and provide support for vulnerable households will also increase, these costs are expected to be more than offset by the reductions in energy consumption and exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices that policies are delivering.
	Overall we estimate that, in 2020, electricity bills will be on average 11% (£72) lower than they would be in the absence of policies.
	(1 )https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts -of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills

Electricity: Prices

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of electricity costs in 2020 which will be due to the Government's climate change policies.

Michael Fallon: The Government has recently published its assessment of the impacts of energy and climate change policies on consumer energy bills(1). The analysis in the report shows that policies are estimated to account for around 23% (£46/MWh) of average household electricity prices in 2020 (2012 prices, excluding VAT).
	This figure only represents the cost of climate change and energy policies and does not reflect savings from policies that reduce energy consumption and consumer bills. Including the impacts of policies, electricity bills are estimated to be on average 11% (£72) lower in 2020 with policies than they would be if these policies had never been introduced.
	Taking household bills as a whole (gas and electricity) policies are estimated to account for around 14% of energy bills in 2020. However due to policies such as regulations on boiler efficiencies and household appliances, and on improving insulation such as the Green Deal, overall bills are estimated to be 11% (£166) lower on average than they would be in the absence of policies.
	(1 )https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts -of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills

Electricity: Prices

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the change in electricity prices that can be attributed to the Government's climate change policies.

Michael Fallon: Between 2010 and 2012 household electricity prices increased by 10% in real terms. DECC estimates that energy and climate change policies account for around 35% of this increase in prices, with increases in wholesale costs, network costs, and other supplier costs and margins accounting for around 65% of the remaining increase.
	It should be noted that the majority of policy costs fall on electricity, rather than gas, and figures on cost do not reflect savings from policies that reduce energy consumption and consumer bills.
	Considering household energy bills as a whole (gas and electricity), the Government's recently published assessment of the impacts of energy and climate change policies on consumer energy bills(1) found that policy costs accounted for 15% of the overall increase in household dual fuel bills between 2010 and 2012. It also shows that once energy efficiency savings are accounted for, average household energy bills are estimated to be 5% (£65) lower in 2013 than they would have been if these climate change and energy policies have never been introduced.
	(1 )https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts -of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills

Energy Companies Obligation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many companies who secured a contract for the delivery of the energy company obligation via the brokerage system have subsequently gone into administration.

Gregory Barker: If a Green Deal provider trading on brokerage goes into administration, it has the duty to notify the Government Procurement Service, who runs the auction platform. To date GPS has informed DECC of one company going into administration.

Energy Companies Obligation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of bids for energy company obligation lots have met the reserve price to date.

Gregory Barker: On the energy companies obligation (ECO) brokerage trading platform, as with any auction system, a large number of bids may often be submitted on a lot before it sells, or fails to sell. That is the nature of an auction system.

Energy Companies Obligation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons his Department has not provided energy companies with the postcodes which will qualify for the rural element of the Energy Company Obligation: Carbon Saving Community Obligation.

Gregory Barker: Obligated energy suppliers are able to enter postcodes into a look up tool run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and cross check if these areas fall within published list of eligible areas entitled "Energy Company Obligation Carbon Saving Community Obligation: Rural and Low Income Areas". Suppliers can also use the look up tool to check if an eligible area is classified as rural.

Fracking

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether companies seeking licences to undertake hydraulic fracturing for shale gas recovery will have to obtain a separate licence for a new process if they intend to use uranium-based shape charges to fracture the rock.

Michael Fallon: Explosives are not used to generate hydraulic fractures. Small shaped charges are routinely used in oil and gas operations, conventional and unconventional, to perforate casings, and create a short passage in the rock to permit the passage of fluids. Neither we nor HSE are aware of any use or proposed use of uranium in that context. All proposals for activity including the use of new or novel techniques are carefully considered as part of the normal process of regulatory scrutiny of oil and gas operations.

Grant Thornton

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change made payments to Grant Thornton in the years 2010-11 (£18,000) and 2012-13 (£66,000).
	We did not make any payments made to this organisation in 2008-09, 2009-10 or 2011-12.

Green Deal Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the cost to energy suppliers of changing their IT and billing systems to collect Green Deal payments.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 November 2011, Official Report, column 314W.

Natural Gas: Storage

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the level of investment required to build a two billion cubic metre gas storage facility.

Michael Fallon: Figures published on gas storage developers' websites suggest that the capital costs for salt cavern storage equate to around £1 billion per billion cubic metre and £0.7 billion per billion cubic metre for storage in a depleted hydrocarbon field. On this basis the investment required for 2 billion cubic metre of storage is likely to be in the region of £1.5 to £2 billion.

Natural Gas: Storage

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of construction related jobs created by the building of a two billion cubic metre gas storage facility;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of full-time permanent jobs required to support the running of a 2 billion cubic metre gas storage facility.

Michael Fallon: We have not made any such assessment.

Natural Gas: Storage

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the benefit to consumers that will be provided by an additional 2 billion cubic metre gas storage facility;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the consumer of an additional two billion cubic metre UK gas storage facility.

Michael Fallon: DECC is currently reviewing the need for intervention in the gas market, including the costs and benefits to consumers of measures which would increase gas storage capacity. We intend to publish the outcome of this review shortly.

Power Stations

Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to encourage both gas and coal mothballed plants to fire up to provide reserve capacity.

Michael Fallon: Ofgem is consulting on whether to enable National Grid to develop new services to balance the electricity system in middle of the decade.
	These services could involve currently mothballed gas and coal plants coming back online to provide reserve capacity. Plants coming back online will need to be compliant with relevant environmental legislation.
	The decision on whether to proceed with these extended balancing services is for Ofgem, but the Government supports its proposals, and has liaised with Ofgem and National Grid on their development.

Power Stations

Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to provide incentives to currently mothballed plants to bring capacity on-stream if needed; and how much such incentives would cost.

Michael Fallon: Ofgem is consulting on whether to enable National Grid to develop new services, including providing incentives for mothballed plants to come back on-stream, to balance the electricity system in middle of the decade.
	The decision on whether to proceed with these extended balancing services is for Ofgem, but the Government supports its proposals, and has liaised with Ofgem and National Grid on their development.
	The cost of the measures on which Ofgem are consulting would depend on the amount of additional balancing services that may be needed. Ofgem has specified that any procurement by National Grid must be economic and efficient and the products must represent value for money to electricity consumers.
	If they were taken forward we expect the additional cost of the proposed mid-decade services would be very low in comparison to the existing cost of balancing the system—almost certainly extra pence rather than pounds.

Power Stations

Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether bringing on reserve capacity from mothballed plants will involve a derogation of the EU Large Combustion Plants Directive.

Michael Fallon: No. The Government intends full compliance with the Large Combustion Plant Directive which aims to reduce emissions of harmful oxides of sulphur and nitrogen and particulate matter from large combustion plants, including power stations.

Wind Power

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the level of subsidy per MWh to be given from the public purse to offshore wind power generation by 2020.

Michael Fallon: holding answer 11 July 2013
	Offshore wind generating stations above 5 MW (and those below 5 MW in Northern Ireland) are eligible for support through the Renewables Obligation (RO) in the form of Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs). The following table sets out the ROC rates to 31 March 2017 when the scheme will close to new generation:
	
		
			  2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 
			 ROCs per MWh 2 2 1.9 1.8 
		
	
	These rates are grandfathered at the time of accreditation and are received for the full 20 years of support under the RO. For the purposes of Government financial planning, the long-term value of a ROC is the buyout price plus 10%. This is roughly £46 per ROC in 2013-14 prices.
	The following table sets out the recently published draft Contract for Difference strike prices for offshore wind:
	
		
			  2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 
			 Price (£/MWh) in 2012 prices 155 155 150 140 135 
		
	
	More details can be found in Appendix A Levy Control Framework: Draft Strike Prices:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/209276/EMR_Spending_Review_Announcement_-_FINAL_PDF.pdf
	The feed-in tariff scheme supports wind farms below 5 MW with a fixed tariff per kilowatt hour of energy generated. Tariffs are available on Ofgem's web page at the following locations:
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/Environment/fits/ad/Pages/ad.aspx
	http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/Environment/fits/tariff-tables/Pages/index.aspx

Youth Work

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding his Department allocated for youth work in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change's expenditure was £20,000 in 2010-11 with no further subsequent expenditure identified.

JUSTICE

Conditions of Employment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff were retained on zero-hour contracts by (a) his Department and (b) the Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: The number of staff on zero-hour contracts in the Ministry of Justice (Ministry of Justice HQ, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, National Offender Management Service and the Office of the Public Guardian) is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Ministry of Justice (HQ, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, National Offender Management Service and the Office of the Public Guardian) retained on zero-contract hours 
			  Total cumulative staff number 
			 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 238 
			 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 218 
			 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 172 
		
	
	The Ministry of Justice's executive non-departmental public bodies did not have any staff retained on zero-hour contracts.
	The use of zero hour contracts enables greater flexibility where work is irregular, thereby making more efficient use of resources to meet demand.
	They are only paid for the hours they work.

Cybercrime

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will consider changing the sentencing guidelines for cases of (a) cyber-bullying and (b) online instances of threats and intimidation to ensure that those found guilty of such offences are subject to custodial sentences; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: Sentencing Guidelines are a matter for the Sentencing Council which is independent of Government. There are currently no Sentencing Guidelines available for cases of cyber-bullying or online threats and intimidation. Custodial sentences are available for offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (up to five years); the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and Communications Act 2003 (up to six months respectively).

Dangerous Driving: Sentencing

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Sentencing Council on sentencing guidelines for death by dangerous driving cases.

Helen Grant: In February, the Secretary of State for Justice wrote to the Sentencing Council to ask them to review the guideline for death by driving offences. The council intend to hold a public consultation on driving offences in the autumn of 2014.

Domestic Violence

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of violent offences are not categorised as cases of domestic violence for monitoring purposes.

Oliver Heald: I have been asked to reply.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a record of the number of defendants prosecuted in twelve principal offence categories. The principal offence indicates the most serious offence a defendant is charged with at the time of finalisation. Four principal offence categories have been identified as comprising ‘violent offences’; homicide, offences against the person, robbery and sexual offences.
	The CPS also keeps a central record, via the application of a case monitoring flag, of the number of defendants prosecuted where the offence(s) concerned domestic violence. It follows that defendants not flagged are not categorised as cases of domestic violence.
	The following table sets out proportion of prosecutions for offence categories of homicide, offences against the person, robbery and sexual offences in each of the last three years, which were not identified and flagged as involving domestic violence.
	
		
			 Violent offences (Not flagged as domestic violence) 
			 Percentage 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Homicide 81.8 79.7 80.6 
			 Offences against the person 64.8 64.5 65.1 
			 Robbery 98.9 98.6 98.8 
			 Sexual Offences 89.1 87.9 89.1

Exhumation

Iain Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what his policy is on issuing exhumation licences for the removal of bodies or human remains from former burial grounds owned by, or once owned or operated, by hospitals, local Methodist groups and other private landowners;
	(2)  what his policy is on requiring prior consent from the owner of burial rights when an application to exhume has not been made by that person;
	(3)  what plans he has to clarify information provided by his Department to the public about exhumation licences.

Helen Grant: Where development work such as the construction of new buildings is to take place, the exhumation of human remains from former burial grounds, whether public or private, is governed by the Disused Burial Grounds Act 1884 and the Disused Burial Grounds (Amendment) Act 1981. Where such development is not to take place, we consider applications to remove individual remains from burial grounds, including those owned or formerly owned or operated by hospitals, local Methodist groups or other private landowners, on the same basis as other single exhumation applications, that is, under section 25 of the Burial Act 1857.
	Applicants for a licence to remove a single set of buried remains must either provide the signed consent of the person who owns the right of burial in the grave or plot, or explain why consent is unavailable (for example when the owner has died and the rights have not yet been transferred to the heirs). The licence does not override the civil rights of the grave owner, and therefore a licence is only issued against the grave owner's wishes in the most exceptional circumstances.
	The Ministry of Justice's exhumation application forms include guidance which we keep under review. Officials are always available to provide guidance on individual queries.

Family Courts: Rhyl

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people are employed at Rhyl family court.

Helen Grant: Staff based at the Rhyl county court administer both civil and family cases. The total number of staff employed at the Rhyl county court at the end of May 2013 was 16 (14.51 full-time equivalent staff).

Feltham Young Offender Institution

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many days Feltham Young Offenders Institution was without a governor in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.

Jeremy Wright: HMYOI Feltham was not without a governor during 2010, 2011 and 2012. On 1 March 2013 the governor moved to a new post and there was a gap of 30 days before the next governor took up post on 1 April 2013. During the 30 day period the deputy governor was in charge of the prison as acting governor.

Legal Aid Scheme

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the reforms to legal aid proposed in his Department's consultation, Transforming Legal Aid: Delivering a more credible and efficient system on (a) individuals in immigration detention who are (i) making an application for immigration bail and (ii) filing a case of unlawful detention, (b) women who are victims of domestic violence who have not resided in the UK for more than 12 months and (c) victims of human trafficking who have not resided in the UK for more than 12 months.

Jeremy Wright: As part of our consultation “Transforming Legal aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system” we have published an impact assessment which is available at:
	https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/transforming-legal-aid
	The consultation proposes measures aimed at reducing the cost of legal aid which at around £2 billion a year is one of the most expensive systems of its type in the world, and ensuring that the legal aid system commands the confidence of the public.
	One of the proposals is that applicants for civil legal aid would need to be lawfully resident in the UK, Crown dependencies or British overseas territories at the time they apply and for at least a 12 months continuous period in the past. We have proposed exceptions for asylum seekers and members of Her Majesty's UK armed forces and their immediate families.
	Immigrants, including victims of trafficking and domestic violence, would be excepted from the residence test in cases where they were seeking to claim asylum.
	People who did not meet the residence test would be entitled to apply for exceptional funding under the power set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
	We are currently consulting on this proposal and are keen to hear views on the potential impacts of our proposed approach before we reach our final decision.

Legal Aid Scheme

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the income distribution of legal aid recipients in each year since 2002.

Jeremy Wright: The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) does not hold this information because it does not make routine assessments of all legal aid recipients.
	For criminal legal aid, people who were interviewed by the police at the station would automatically receive legal aid. A similar approach was adopted in the magistrates courts between 2001 and 2006 when means testing of defendants was reinstated in 2006. Since 2006, some people continue to be passported to legal aid without an assessment of their means. While at the Crown court means testing was only introduced in 2010.
	For civil legal aid, the majority of legal aid recipients are subject to passported assessment i.e. they receive automatic eligibility as recipients of benefits; the Legal Aid Agency therefore do not hold routine data on income distributions.
	Between 9 April and 4 June 2013 the Government consulted on a number of proposals to reform legal aid via the “Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system consultation”. This included a proposed model of a financial eligibility threshold whereby any defendant with a disposable household income of £37,500 or more would, in most instances, be ineligible for legal aid in the Crown court.
	The proposed threshold is approximately twice the national average annual disposable household income of £18,000. We believe this is not an unreasonable level at which to expect people to pay for their own defence.

Legal Aid Scheme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether UK citizens returning to the UK after working abroad for a year or more will be affected by the restriction he proposes for access to legal aid to people who have been resident in the UK for the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: At around £2 billion a year we have one of the most expensive legal aid systems of its type in the world. At a time of major financial challenges, the legal sector cannot be immune from the Government's commitment to getting best value for every penny of taxpayers' money spend.
	The consultation paper, ‘Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system’, contains a range of measures aimed at reducing the cost and improving the public credibility of the legal aid scheme, including the proposal that those allocated civil legal aid should have a strong connection to the UK.
	Under the proposed residence test set out in the consultation paper, applicants for civil legal aid would need to be lawfully resident in the UK, Crown dependencies or British overseas territories at the time they apply for civil legal aid and for at least a 12 months continuous period in the past.
	The 12-month period of lawful residence could be immediately prior to the application for civil legal aid or could have taken place at any point in the past. Therefore those who have previously lawfully resided within the UK, Crown dependencies or British overseas territories for 12 months would immediately satisfy this limb of the test on their return.
	We are now carefully considering the consultation responses in relation to this proposal.

Legal Aid Scheme

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people (a) under the age of 18, (b) aged between 18 and 24 and (c) aged over 25 years old were in receipt of legal aid for each category of justiciable matter in the latest year for which figures are available; what proportion of all recipients of legal aid this represented; what the cost to the public purse of providing such aid was; and what estimate he has made of such figures if the proposals contained in his Department's Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more creditable and efficient system consultation were fully implemented.

Jeremy Wright: We have one of the most expensive legal aid systems in the world. We have been clear we must ensure we are getting the best deal for the taxpayer. Between 9 April and 4 June 2013 the Government consulted on a number of proposals to reform legal aid via the Transforming Legal Aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system consultation. This put forward a range of proposals intended to reduce the cost of legal aid by £220 million and improve its credibility with the public who pay for it. We are carefully considering all the points raised during the consultation process.
	In the last financial year, 2012/13, the age segmentation for the recipients of legal aid is described in table 1, as follows:
	
		
			 Table 1: Segmentation of legal aid recipients in FY 2012/13 
			  Magistrates court Crown court Police, Prison and other criminal legal aid Civil Representation Legal Help 
			 <18 67,290 8,259 (1)— 28,264 10,993 
			 18-24 89,529 26,799 (1)— 20,969 68,776 
			 25+ 241,933 65,403 (1)— 85,051 426,735 
			 (1) Defendant ages not collected. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Resource spend in FY 2012/13 broken down by legal aid area 
			  Spend (£ million) 
			 Magistrates court 177 
			 Crown court and higher courts 591 
			 Police, Prison and other criminal legal aid 207 
			 Civil representation 758 
			 Legal help 184 
		
	
	We do not hold the information on what this breakdown may be post the legal aid transformation consultation proposals. The decision to grant legal aid is dependent on a number of factors including the merits of an individual case and the client's means. This makes forecasting by age category difficult. However, we have published an equalities impact assessment which considers the impact of the proposals on different groups of legal aid users. This has been published on the Ministry of Justice website.

Legal Aid Scheme

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the potential effect that residency tests for civil legal aid will have on (a) victims of human trafficking, (b) victims of domestic violence and (c) babies under 12 months old.

Jeremy Wright: As part of our consultation “Transforming legal aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system” we have published an impact assessment which is available at:
	https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/transforming-legal-aid
	The residence test proposal on which we consulted would mean that applicants for civil legal aid would need to be lawfully resident in the UK, Crown Dependencies or British Overseas Territories at the time they apply for civil legal aid and for at least a 12 months continuous period in the past. In the consultation paper, we proposed exceptions for asylum seekers and members of Her Majesty's UK armed forces and their immediate families.
	Under the proposal, where victims of trafficking or domestic violence were claiming asylum they would still be eligible for legal aid.
	We are carefully considering all responses to the consultation, including on the issue of the effect the proposal would have on children under the age of 12 months.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2013, Official Report, column 644W, on prisoners: foreign nationals, with which other high volume countries he is pursuing agreements, and in each case what specific progress he has made; and by what year he expects compulsory prisoner transfer agreements be operational;
	(2)  how many foreign-national offenders were in UK prisons in (a) May 2010 and (b) July 2013; and what steps he is taking to negotiate compulsory prisoner transfer agreements with the countries from which those offenders came.

Jeremy Wright: The number of foreign nationals in prison in England and Wales was 10,725 as at 31 March 2013 (latest available data) and 11,153 as at 31 May 2010.
	14 EU countries have now implemented the EU prisoner transfer arrangement and we are now starting to see prisoners transferred. Outside Europe we are targeting those countries with the highest population of foreign national offenders in the prison system for compulsory prisoner transfer agreements and this approach is starting to see results. We have recently signed a compulsory PTA with Albania and are making good progress towards concluding a compulsory transfer agreement with Nigeria. We continue to pursue voluntary arrangements with countries where compulsory transfers are not yet possible.

Prisons: Employment

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  which prisons have a labour board to assign work to prisoners;
	(2)  which prisons require prisoners to apply and interview for employment whilst in prison;
	(3)  what proportion of prisoners are participating in work schemes under rule 31 of the prison rules.

Jeremy Wright: Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 03/2012 ‘Activity Allocation’ sets out the mandatory operational requirements for allocating prisoners to the range of activities in prisons, including work. Central data are not available to confirm how many prisons operate labour/selection boards, or operate an application and interview process, and could be obtained only by a manual check with individual prisons, which would incur disproportionate cost. The PSI and the related service specification for activity allocation require all prisons to operate an efficient process for managing the allocation process so as to ensure the effective and efficient use of all regime activities available to prisoners, but does not stipulate how this is to be delivered.
	Prison Rule 31 covers all work undertaken by prisoners. Our latest published figures show number of prisoners working in industrial activity in public sector prisons increased from around 8,600 in 2010-11 to around 9,000 in 2011-12. We are due to publish updated figures shortly. These figures do not include the substantial numbers of prisoners who work within prisons on tasks such as cooking, serving meals, maintenance and cleaning and they exclude prisoners working productively in privately operated prisons. In addition prisoners are also engaged in purposeful activities such as learning and skills, offending behaviour programmes as well as dealing with substance misuse.
	Figures are published in the NOMS Annual Report Management Information Addendum:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/163292/noms-annual-report-201 l-12-addendum.pdf.pdf

Public Expenditure

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on (a) taxis and (b) pot plants and cut flowers at the Petty France office in each of the last three years.

Helen Grant: Our accounting systems do not record expenditure in sufficient detail to allow us to extract the cost of pot plants and cut flowers from other miscellaneous expenditure.
	The presence of pot plants and cut flowers in the Department's buildings is very minimal.
	The Secretary of State has recently launched a review of departmental discretionary spend which includes expenditure on indoor and outdoor plants.
	To provide information on departmental expenditure on taxis for civil servants, would involve disproportionate cost.
	The Department's policy on travel by taxi (or use of the Government Car Service) is that it is not an entitlement and, where possible, journeys should be made by public transport. Taxi fares may be reimbursed only where there is no other suitable form of public transport, or where heavy luggage has to be transported, or where the saving in officials' time is important. Where necessary, a standing arrangement may be made, say, for the conveyance of a large number of files from a court office to a separate court building.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of people on the Violent Sex Offender Register (a) are currently in prison, (b) have been to prison in the last year and (c) have never been to prison.

Jeremy Browne: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	Information on registered sex offenders is held on the Violent Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) database, a UK-wide system which is used to store and share information and intelligence on individuals.
	Data from ViSOR shows that there are a total of 64,484 registered sex offenders in the UK.
	The number of registered sex offenders recorded on ViSOR as currently being in prison (including those detained in hospital) is 15,065. This represents 23.4% of the total number of registered sex offenders on the system.
	The number of registered sex offenders recorded on ViSOR as being in prison (including those detained in hospital) at any point between the period of 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 is 19,619. This represents 30.4% of the total number of registered sex offenders on the system.
	Offenders receiving a non-custodial sentence or accepting a caution for a Schedule 3 offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 are also subject to the notification requirements. The number of registered sex offenders who do not have a custody record or prison status (including those detained in hospital) recorded on ViSOR is 17,758. This represents 27.5% of the total number of registered sex offenders on the system.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of the population in each probation area are on the Violent Sex Offender Register.

Jeremy Browne: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	Information on registered sex offenders is held on the Violent Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) database, a UK-wide system which is used to store and share information and intelligence on individuals.
	The number of registered sex offenders currently recorded on ViSOR, broken down by probation area in England and Wales is in the table. These figures include all persons subject to notification requirements, regardless of whether they are in custody, on licence, or in the community. These figures do not include Scotland or Northern Ireland.
	Information on proportions in relation to probation areas is not held centrally.
	
		
			 Probation area number of registered sex offenders 
			  Number 
			 Avon and Somerset 1,616 
			 Bedfordshire 572 
			 Cambridgeshire 809 
			 Cheshire 1,013 
			 Cumbria 486 
			 Derbyshire 1,214 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,837 
			 Dorset 804 
			 Durham Tees Valley 1,477 
			 Essex 1,280 
			 Gloucestershire 537 
			 Greater Manchester 3,315 
			 Hampshire 2,141 
			 Hertfordshire 777 
			 Humberside 1,302 
			 Kent 1,860 
			 Lancashire 2,069 
			 Leicestershire 986 
			 Lincolnshire 783 
			 London 8,025 
			 Merseyside 1,486 
			 Norfolk and Suffolk 1,704 
		
	
	
		
			 North Yorkshire 721 
			 Northamptonshire 799 
			 Northumbria 1,529 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,317 
			 South Yorkshire 1,459 
			 Staffordshire and W Mids 4,492 
			 Surrey and Sussex 2,210 
			 Thames Valley 1,766 
			 Wales 3,492 
			 Warwickshire 447 
			 West Mercia 1,233 
			 West Yorkshire 2,695 
			 Wiltshire 615 
			 Not linked to a probation area 26

Violent and Sex Offender Register: Witham

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which people on the Violent Sex Offender Register currently reside in Witham constituency.

Jeremy Browne: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	Information on registered sex offenders is held on the Violent Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) database, a UK-wide system which is used to store and share information and intelligence on individuals.
	The number of registered sex offenders currently managed by Essex police is 1,280. This includes all persons subject to notification requirements, regardless of whether they are in custody, on licence, or in the community. A further breakdown of this information is not held centrally.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Aerials: Planning Permission

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  with reference to the Joint Paper with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Mobile Connectivity in England, published in May 2013, what consideration he has given to increasing the capacity on existing sites for up to five antenna systems;
	(2)  what consideration he has given to enabling permitted development without prior approval for face-mounted antennas irrespective of the height of the building;
	(3)  what consideration he has given to increasing the right to upgrade as permitted development without prior approval to relate to both existing and new sites once they have received planning permission.

Nicholas Boles: In developing the proposals set out in the consultation document ‘Mobile Connectivity in England’, published on 3 May 2013, my Department worked with the mobile operators and local government representatives to identify opportunities to streamline the planning process and speed up the deployment of mobile broadband. The proposals we consulted on maximise the use of existing sites and encourage the sharing of infrastructure to minimise the need for new ground-based masts. The consultation closed on 14 June, and we are currently considering the responses received. We will publish the Government's response to the consultation in due course.

Affordable Housing: Rural Areas

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in what circumstances speculative market homes will be permitted on rural exception sites.

Nicholas Boles: The National Planning Policy Framework sets out, under the definition of rural exception sites, that small numbers of market homes may be allowed at the local authority's discretion, for example where essential to enable the delivery of affordable units without grant funding.

Affordable Housing: Rural Areas

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department has taken to increase the availability and supply of affordable housing in rural areas.

Mark Prisk: Nearly 10% of the funding for the Affordable Homes Programme (2011-12 to 2014-15) outside London has been allocated to rural communities of fewer than 3,000 households.
	The National Planning Policy Framework sets out, for the first time in national policy, that that rural exception sites can allow for a small number of market homes where it is essential to enable the delivery of affordable units without grant funding.
	The Government supports community led projects such as community land trusts, which have played an important role in ensuring that communities can deliver the housing development, often in rural areas. £25 million has been set aside from the Affordable Homes Programme for such projects.
	To help provide both rural and urban housing this Government are championing initiatives such as our Affordable Housing Programme, Home on the Farm schemes, the Community Right to Build, the Rent to Build fund, Firstbuy, Newbuy, Neighbourhood Planning, the New Homes Bonus, a comprehensive empty homes programme, and reforms to change of use to get redundant agricultural buildings back into productive use.

Empty Property

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) bungalows, (b) one bedroom houses, (c) two bedroom houses and (d) three bedroom houses are listed as vacant by each registered social landlord and local authority in England and Wales.

Mark Prisk: DCLG publish information on the number of vacant local authority and private register provider (housing association) properties annually. The latest information is on my Department's website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49764/20130111_Live_table_615.xls
	However, information about the number of bedrooms these properties contain is not collected centrally.

Fires: Warehouses

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of fires each year in plastic recycling warehouses.

Brandon Lewis: Records of fires attended by fire and rescue authorities do not distinguish different types of recycling facilities.
	The total numbers of fires attended at recycling plants in England since the introduction of the new fire and rescue incident recording system are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of fires attended 
			 2009-10 109 
			 2010-11 142 
			 2011-12 157 
			 2012-13 120 
		
	
	Fire fighters did an excellent job getting the Smethwick blaze under control and the cause will be thoroughly investigated by West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority.
	All fires, no matter the size, can cause loss of life, but in the last decade there has been a 40% reduction in incidents as a whole.

Land: Valuation

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who sets the value that a housing association is able to offer to the owner of agricultural land; and how that value is calculated.

Nicholas Boles: The Government do not prescribe the rate at which housing associations should purchase land. The decision would be for individual housing associations to make, in negotiation with the landowner.

Local Government Services

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to Annex F of his Department's publication, Calculation of 2013-14 Formula Funding, what assessment he has made of the services that are (a) more expensive to provide in rural areas, (b) cheaper to provide in rural areas, (c) more expensive to provide in densely-populated areas and (c) cheaper to provide in densely-populated areas.

Brandon Lewis: Following consideration of representations from outside experts and representative bodies, and with a broad cross section of the sector through consultation, we have accepted that it is appropriate to apply judgemental sparsity top-ups to a number of the Relative Needs Formulae as set out in the Formula Funding document approved as part of this year's Local Government Finance settlement. These changes give a lower reduction of per capita funding for predominantly rural authorities than for predominantly urban authorities in every authority class compared with last year's settlement.

Rents: Arrears

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated cost is of rent arrears accrued by each local authority registered social landlord in England and Wales in (a) April, (b) May and (c) June 2013.

Mark Prisk: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 9 July 2013, Official Report, column 194W.

Social Rented Housing

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many property sales have taken place each month since January 2013 for each registered social landlord (RSL) in England and Wales; and what the average discount given to house buyers from RSLs is in (a) January, (b) February, (c) March, (d) April, (e) May and (f) June 2013.

Mark Prisk: The latest data available are annual data for 2011-12.
	The Homes and Communities Agency publish figures by private registered providers (housing associations), which can be found under tab ‘SDR12_Stock_Movement’ in the “full data spreadsheet” at the following link:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/news/statistical-data-return
	England figures for total private registered provider sales are available on the Department's website in Table 678 here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/199070/Table_678.xls
	The figures show there were 6,583 sales of private registered provider stock in England in 2011-12.
	Figures for the average discount given are not available by individual private registered provider. Information on the average discount per dwelling for registered providers is available on the Department's website in Table 682 here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/199779/Table_682.xls
	These figures show the average discount per dwelling in England in 2011-12 was £28,410 (31% of the market value).
	Housing is a devolved matter in Wales and the Welsh Government publish information on social housing sales. The latest release can be found at the following link:
	http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/housing2012/120612/?lang=en
	There were 386 sales by private registered providers in Wales in 2011-12.

Social Rented Housing: Waiting Lists

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what analysis he has made of waiting lists for (a) one bedroom houses, (b) two bedroom houses, (c) three bedroom houses and (d) bungalows for each registered social landlord and local authority in England and Wales since January 2013.

Mark Prisk: The number of households on local authority waiting lists by size of property for each local authority district in England in 2011-12 is published in the statistical dataset accompanying the Department's Local Authority Housing Statistics release, which is available at the following link.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/local-authority-housing-statistics-data-returns-for-2011-to-2012
	2011-12 is the most recent year for which data is available.
	Local authorities sometimes maintain a common waiting list with the Private Registered Providers (housing associations or registered social landlords) in their district. However, no information is available where a Private Registered Provider maintains a separate waiting list to the local authority.
	The Department does not hold any information on social housing waiting lists in Wales.

Urban Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which towns and local authorities have published their neighbourhood plans for local high streets.

Mark Prisk: This information is not collected centrally. However, our informal monitoring of local planning authority websites tells us that as of the beginning of July, over 580 communities have taken up the right to prepare a neighbourhood plan or a neighbourhood development order and more are joining them each week. Three neighbourhood plans have been supported at a referendum, a further 10 have been submitted for independent examination and 23 communities are currently carrying out pre-submission consultation on their neighbourhood plan or neighbourhood development order. Almost two thirds of the neighbourhood plans or orders that have been published include specific measure to support employment or retail uses.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum: Pregnant Women

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will review the guidance relating to procedures for accommodating pregnant women who seek asylum in the UK.

Mark Harper: holding answer 10 July 2013
	The Home Office's policies relating to pregnant asylum seekers were revised in August 2012, following widespread consultation. The report by the Refugee Council and Maternity Action drew conclusions from a sample of cases that were largely dealt with before those revised policies came into effect.
	The policies are none the less kept under continuous review and the recommendations of the report are being considered by the Home Office and the Department of Health. Some of the recommendations are covered by work that is already ongoing.

Crime Prevention

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers are currently working on Operation Nitrate; and whether her Department has provided Operation Nitrate with additional funding.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 6 June 2013
	NITRA is a database of terrorist related media seized during counter terrorism investigations. No additional funding has been provided. It was created and is managed as part of normal Metropolitan Police Specialist Operations business and is administered by two officers, who also carry out other duties in addition to this role.

Detention Centres: Children

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were subject to detention in adult immigration removal centres in each of the last three years.

Mark Harper: There were 418 children who initially entered detention at immigration removal centres (IRCs) in 2010, 85 in 2011 and 97 in 2012. These figures exclude those children who entered at short term holding facilities and pre departure accommodation.
	Since the new family returns process was rolled out fully in August 2011, children (under-18s) may be held in IRCs only as part of family groups stopped at the border while inquiries are made to determine whether they may be safely admitted or, on rare occasions, in criminal cases. In these circumstances, families are held together in the specially designed family unit at Tinsley House.
	It is not the policy to detain unaccompanied children. Occasionally, information may subsequently emerge to show that an individual who has been detained as an adult is under 18; in those cases, individuals are released as soon as suitable arrangements can be made for their care.
	The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people detained in the UK within Immigration Statistics. The data on people entering detention are readily available in the latest release, Immigration Statistics: January to March 2013, table dt_01 from the Gov.uk website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release
	Published figures on people held are those detained in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers, including short term holding facilities and pre departure accommodation in addition to immigration removal centres but excluding those in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants.

Detention Centres: Children

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the recent detention of children in Campsfield House adult immigration removal centre; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: Individuals who were initially detained as adults but later assessed to be under 18 appear in the regularly published statistics for Children in Detention.
	There will always be a small number of individuals who appear in the published statistics for children either entering or leaving detention for an immigration removal centre (IRC) other than Tinsley House IRC.
	These exceptional instances should only relate to “age dispute” cases. This was the situation for both of the recent cases at Campsfield House IRC.

Driving under Influence: Drugs

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to ensure roadside drug screening devices for a range of substances are Type Approved in time for use by police when the drug-driving legislation comes into force in summer 2014; and if she will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: On 9 July, the Department for Transport launched the consultation on the Government's proposals for the controlled drugs and corresponding limits to specify in regulations for the new drug-driving offence. We will issue shortly the specification for a roadside device which sets out the requirements such a device will have to meet, and invites manufacturers to submit for approval any devices they may have which they consider might meet the requirements. Field trials and the necessary laboratory testing of the devices will then follow, with a view to having any successful devices approved as close as practicable to the implementation of the new drug-driving offence.

Entry Clearances

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to assist applicants for Home Office travel documents who are unable to obtain or retain a job because all their papers are with their application in her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Mark Harper: holding answer 12 June 2013
	As part of the process of preventing illegal working we have been providing those lawfully present with secure evidence of their status in the UK in the form of Biometric Residence Permits. All travel document applicants not in possession of a valid Biometric Residence Permit confirming their current immigration status have, since February 2012 had to simultaneously apply for a Biometric Residence Permit. As part of the application process applicants are required to submit their current immigration status document with their application. Where the application is approved their immigration status document will be replaced with a Biometric Residence Permit.
	Where an applicant has submitted their immigration status document and their employer or prospective employer requires confirmation of their status, the employer should contact the Employer's Helpline details are available on our website. The Employer's Helpline will check Home Office records and confirm the employee or prospective employee's status.
	In cases where the employer is not willing to accept this confirmation the Travel Document Section can provide certified copies of the applicant's immigration status document. Providing certified copies avoids returning the original immigration status document, and then asking for it back so that it can be replaced with a Biometric Residence Permit.

Entry Clearances

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to improve the issuing of business visas.

Mark Harper: holding answer 9 July 2013
	We have a target of processing 90% of business visas within 15 working days and we have exceeded that in the last three years; and many were decided in considerably less time. We continue to review our processes to identify ways to simplify the process for visa customers. We are piloting a Super Priority—same day—service in India, and continue to extend the availability of the Priority service (3-5 day turnaround). During periods of high demand, we have extended opening hours at our key Visa Application Centres, allowing us to offer primetime (evening and weekend) appointments. We continue to build relationships with key UK and foreign businesses and groups to better understand their needs, and deliver against them.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the level of abuse in applications for the student visitor visas.

Mark Harper: A Home Office study, published on 6 June, showed that the level of abuse of the student visitor route is low. It is used by both visitors who require a visa and those who apply to enter the UK at the border, to study mainly on short courses in English Language or university summer schools. Most attend courses at universities and colleges that hold a Tier 4 sponsor licence or are accredited by a Home Office-approved body. Key measures of abuse for those who entered on a student visitor visa are very low.

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many victims of trafficking have been returned to their countries of origin (a) within and (b) outside the EU in each of the last three years; and at what cost.

Mark Harper: Between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2012, nine confirmed victims of trafficking have been returned to countries of origin outside of the EU through voluntary or enforced arrangements. As EU nationals have freedom of movement their return is not routinely tracked by the Home Office.
	An analysis of the costs associated with returning a migrant to their country of origin can be found in the National Audit Office report:
	http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/0809124_accenture_rept.pdf
	Notes:
	1. The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
	2. Figures relate to main applicants only.

Illegal Immigrants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the current size of the Migration Refusal Pool is.

Mark Harper: Figures on the current size of the Migration Refusal Pool were supplied to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 10 July 2013, in a letter from Mr David Wood, interim director general for immigration enforcement.

Illegal Immigrants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the non-compliance notifications received in Q4 2012 were followed up with further action within that quarter.

Mark Harper: During Q4 2012, we received 6,610 tier 2 and 5 notifications and 28,962 tier 4 notifications; we provided this information previously to the Home Affairs Select Committee.
	We take follow-up action where we identify non-compliance, but the data on the follow-up action is held on multiple IT systems; as a result, we cannot track the outcomes of notifications we received in a specific time period as requested except at a disproportionate cost.

Illegal Immigrants

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people in the Migration Refusal Pool contacted by Capita since October 2012 were subsequently found to have the right to remain in the UK;
	(2)  how many people in the Migration Refusal Pool Capita have contacted since October 2012;
	(3)  how many people in the Migration Refusal Pool have (a) left the UK voluntarily and (b) been removed from the UK since October 2012;
	(4)  how many complaints have been received about the Capita contract to contact persons in the Migration Refusal Pool since October 2012.

Mark Harper: holding answer 11 July 2013
	The specific information requested in relation to the number of people in the Migration Refusal Pool contacted by Capita since October 2012 who were subsequently found to have the right to remain in the UK, is not captured in the required format on departmental IT systems. Capita only contact people where Home Office records indicate they are here without valid leave. There have been a very small number of complaints from people who claim that they have the right to remain in the UK. All complaints are investigated.
	Capita had received 60 complaints up to the end of quarter 1 of 2013, from 34,100 people put into the contact process at that time.
	The Home Office has verified Capita's reported key performance indicators for up to the end of quarter 1 2013. These show 8,300 (to the nearest 100) confirmed departures. We have not recorded separately how many of these have been removed or have departed voluntarily.
	By the end of quarter 1 2013, Capita had put 34,100 (to the nearest 100) cases into the contact process, and 5,300 (to the nearest 100) people had responded. This figure has been taken from Capita's internal management information.
	We continue to work with Capita to source updated contact information and to encourage people to either work with Capita to assist their departure or seek to regularise their stay.

Immigrants: English Language

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to review the guidance on the standard of English language required by spousal visa applicants.

Mark Harper: We have no plans to amend the level of English language required to qualify for leave to enter or remain as a spouse or partner of a British or settled person under the Immigration Rules. In April 2013 we successfully defended a legal challenge to this requirement in the Court of Appeal in Bibi & Anor, R (on the application of) v. Secretary of State for the Home Department (Rev 1) [2013] EWCA Civ 322.
	The current guidance reflects the existing rules which require the visa applicant to pass an acceptable test at a minimum level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) with an approved provider; or be a national of a majority English speaking country; or have an academic qualification equivalent to a bachelor's or master's degree or PhD in the UK, which was taught in English or fall under an exemption category.
	However the English language requirements for applicants seeking indefinite leave to remain in the UK and to naturalise as a British citizen are changing. From October 2013, applicants will have to pass the new Life in the UK test and demonstrate that they have English speaking and listening skills equivalent to ESOL entry level 3. This policy will affect spouses and other relevant migrants applying for indefinite leave to remain in the UK or to naturalise as a British citizen.
	The Home Office announced further details of the changes in a Statement of Intent which is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/knowledge-of-language-and-life-in-the-uk-for-settlement-and-naturalisation-statement-of-intent
	Further guidance on the revised language requirements for those seeking indefinite leave to remain in the UK or to naturalise as a British citizen will be published in due course.

Immigration

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many staff are employed at each immigration enforcement intelligence unit;
	(2)  what the budget for each immigration enforcement intelligence unit is;
	(3)  how many immigration enforcement intelligence units are in operation; and where they are located.

Mark Harper: holding answer 1 July 2013
	Home Office Immigration Enforcement has intelligence staff in 26 locations around the country. These offices are linked to our nationwide network of Immigration Compliance and Enforcement teams (ICE) and range in size and budget according to the arrest team resource they support. Some are satellite offices reflecting the wide geographical areas as some of the ICE teams are responsible for and need to have a field intelligence capability to cover those areas. The list of these 26 locations along with the number of staff and the staffing budget for each is contained within a document that has been made available. The non-pay costs are managed regionally and are not broken down to individual units. In addition to the units and locations listed, there are other offices providing support and specialist functions.

Immigration

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures will be included in the Government's Immigration Bill which will require the legislative consent of the devolved authorities in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland.

Mark Harper: The Immigration Bill is being prepared for introduction in accordance with established procedures for government legislation. Immigration is a reserved matter. As part of the normal procedures to prepare legislation, Home Department Ministers and officials have engaged the Territorial Offices and the devolved authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to discuss a range of issues, including identifying any areas where legislative consent might be required.

Immigration

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the devolved authorities on her Department's proposals to (a) change immigrants' access to NHS services and (b) require landlords to conduct immigration checks across the UK (i) prior to the Queen's Speech on 8 May 2013 and (ii) prior to the publication of her consultation on these measures on 3 July 2013.

Mark Harper: The devolved Administrations were made aware of the Government's intention to take forward action in these areas both prior to the Queen's Speech on 8 May and prior to publication of the consultation documents on 3 July.

Khat

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she plans to proscribe Catha edulis as an illegal substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Jeremy Browne: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement of 3 July 2013, Official Report, column 56WS, which informed the House of the Government's decision to control catha edulis (khat) as a class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
	The Government will lay the draft legislation at the earliest possible opportunity.

Overseas Visitors

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been found to have over-stayed in the UK when departing from the UK in each of the last three years.

Mark Harper: The requested figures on the number of people found to have overstayed when departing from the UK is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Passports: Inspections

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice she has given to officials inspecting British passports where the surnames of children differ from that of the mother.

Mark Harper: Checks are conducted on passengers arriving in the UK in accordance with the Border Force Operating Mandate, regardless of nationality. Border Force staff also undergo mandatory training to ensure they are aware of their statutory duty to safeguard the welfare of children. Where a child is encountered at the border, and it is not immediately apparent that the accompanying adult is a parent or guardian, officers will ask questions to satisfy themselves as to the child's welfare and to discharge their statutory duty. This will be done as quickly and as sensitively as possible to avoid unnecessary delay to the passengers' journey.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of each type of offence has been taken into consideration in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Browne: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Offences taken into consideration by a court in England and Wales 
			 Offence group 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Violence against the person 546 311 241 193 152 
			 Sexual offences 163 146 82 90 82 
			 Robbery 865 802 622 676 596 
			 Burglary 32,689 34,153 28,854 27,901 24,419 
			 Offences against vehicles 34,606 31,876 23,861 22,709 19,431 
			 Other theft offences 19,238 19,390 15,785 14,983 14,371 
			 Fraud and forgery 10,784 8,531 5,563 4,166 3,835 
			 Criminal damage 7,671 6,374 4,251 3,446 2,893 
			 Drug offences 429 262 210 141 114 
			 Other offences 183 201 127 146 67 
			 Total 107,174 102,046 79,596 74,451 65,960

Vetting

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for which classes of young people who are (a) UK citizens and (b) EU nationals resident temporarily in the UK are those looking after them not liable for Disclosure and Barring Service checks; and what differences there are based on the nationality of the young people concerned.

James Brokenshire: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 July 2013, Official Report, columns 486-7W.

TRANSPORT

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Norman Baker: The information requested can be found in the table below:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Organisation 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 
			 Deloitte 3,389,661 7,378,225 3,430,252 2,221,818 1,437,349 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers 4,268,203 2,433,233 1,360,807 2,322,358 4,561,440 
			 KPMG 2,366,673 6,153,068 4,165,318 2,613,824 1,855,549 
			 Ernst and Young 710,062 1,007,660 283,958 50,770 1,130,932

Driving Under Influence: Drugs

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the new drug driving offence on the role of health professionals; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: Health care professionals will need to understand the potential effect the new drug driving offence will have when prescribing and supplying medicines that have been proposed for inclusion in the new drug driving offence.
	The Government has sought to limit any potential impact on health care professionals and patients as much as possible by proposing limits at a road safety risk level for those controlled drugs most associated with medical uses. In most cases this will be higher than normal therapeutic levels.
	However, for the much less common occasions when high doses of medicines are prescribed, which exceed the proposed specified limits, it will be important for health care professionals to communicate to their patients that if their driving is not impaired by the medicine they should recommend the patient carries evidence when driving that they are using medication. They will then be able to use this evidence for the statutory medical defence if stopped by the police.
	Officials have already been considering how the necessary information will be provided to health care professionals in time for the commencement of the new offence expected in summer 2014.

Driving Under Influence: Drugs

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department will implement improvements to the medical information given to patients taking prescribed drugs that increase driving risk.

Stephen Hammond: Officials have already been in discussions with the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an agency of the Department of Health. The MHRA has a communication role through the provision of accurate, timely and authoritative information to health care professionals, patients and the public. Departmental officials are continuing to liaise with the MHRA to ensure that the necessary information is provided in time for the commencement of the new offence expected in summer 2014.

Grant Thornton

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has spent the following on contracts with Grant Thornton in each of the financial years since 2008:
	
		
			 Organisation: Grant Thornton LLP 
			  £ 
			 2008-09 99,788 
			 2009-10 14,020 
			 2010-11 33,816 
			 2011-12 104,170 
			 2012-13 36,480

Motorcycles

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the effect on motorcycle testing and training will be of the merger of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and the Driving Standards Agency;
	(2)  if he will review the governance of motorcycle testing and training following the merger of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and the Driving Standards Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: There are no immediate plans to change the provision of the existing service as a result of the move to a single agency. There will be a review of how best to deliver services as a single agency which will be undertaken by the transition programme.

Motorcycles

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of whether the implementation in the UK of the EU requiring certain higher speed exercises in the motorcycle test to be conducted on a limited range of off-road testing areas has caused practical difficulties; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: After introducing the new, two-part, motorcycle test the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has implemented a range of improvements to service provision in order to address the concerns of industry groups and maximise the new test's road safety benefits. DSA has opened three additional sites for module one tests and is introducing module two tests at an additional eight driving test centres. More motorcycle examiners have been made available following a successful recruitment campaign and improvements to the booking system has resulted in more test bookings being made available at times and dates that provide better access for motorcycle trainers and candidates.
	The recent motorcycle test review considered alternative ways of providing a single event practical motorcycle test that could be carried out on the road in a way that would maintain riding standards, protect safety, increase the accessibility of the test and meet the requirements of the European legislation.
	Research concluded that an on-road test:
	would result in a substantial increase in the number of incidents during tests;
	increased the duration of the test, which would result in higher costs for both candidates and the DSA; and
	resulted in significantly more faults than the off-road test.
	I have decided that a single event on-road motorcycle test would not be in the interests of motorcycle test candidates or their trainers and examiners.

Motorcycles: Licensing

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to repatriate motorcycle rider licensing powers from the European Union.

Stephen Hammond: There are no plans to repatriate motorcycle rider licensing powers from the European Union. In line with all other member states the United Kingdom's driver licensing forms part of the European Community's driver licensing system. These harmonised standards provide for the mutual recognition of driving licences between member states of the European Union and the European economic area.

Northcote House

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department used the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: To the best of my knowledge, no officials or Ministers in the Department for Transport have made use of the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in 2010-11, 2011-12 or 2012-13. Staff on training courses organised by the National School of Government may have used the rooms at Northcote House but the Department does not record this information.

Pedestrian Crossings

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the availability of lollipop people to assist children to cross roads, by local authority area; and what change there has been in the numbers of lollipop people since 2010.

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport does not publish criteria for determining when school crossing patrols should be implemented by local authorities. This is a matter for local authorities to determine.

Roads: Safety

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of local authorities have reduced their expenditure on road safety since 2010.

Stephen Hammond: The following link can be used to download expenditure by individual local authority on road safety since 2010:
	http://road-collisions.dft.gov.uk

Shipping

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which events (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have (i) been invited to and (ii) plan to attend as part of London International Shipping Week from 9 to 13 September 2013.

Stephen Hammond: We are pleased to take every opportunity to promote the maritime sector. For this reason we are proud to actively support the London International Shipping Week from 9-13 September which will showcase all that London can offer across the maritime sector. I, together with my ministerial colleagues and with officials from across Government, will be involved with a wide range of events that are taking place over the week which is shaping up to be a really exciting opportunity.

Tonnage Tax

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vessels that qualified for the tonnage tax scheme in each year since 2001-02 were crewed entirely by (a) non-UK and (b) non-EU seafarers.

Stephen Hammond: The Department does not collect this information. However, we do have information on the total number of vessels in tonnage tax, and a breakdown by nationality—UK, other EEA and other (non-EEA)—of the numbers of seafarers employed on those vessels, as reported to us by companies and groups as at the beginning of each tonnage tax training commitment year, as follows:
	
		
			   Seafarer numbers 
			 Training commitment year Number of Vessels UK Other EEA Other (non-EEA) Total Non-UK (i.e. other EEA+ non-EEA) 
			 2001-02 524 5,178 379 4,109 4,488 
			 2002-03 731 5,191 1,170 5,336 6,506 
			 2003-04 754 3,866 686 6,181 6,867 
			 2004-05 776 4,891 1,419 7,198 8,617 
			 2005-06 858 4,473 1,613 8,701 10,314 
			 2006-07 858 5,028 2,120 9,372 11,492 
			 2007-08 950 5,432 3,053 9,689 12,742 
			 2008-09 956 5,574 3,387 9,779 13,166 
			 2009-10 950 4,607 2,650 9,618 12,268 
			 2010-11 899 4,931 3,611 9,976 13,587 
			 2011-12 887 4,596 3,969 11,062 15,031 
			 2012-13 895 4,730 3,985 11,584 15,569

Tonnage Tax

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with (i) trades unions and (ii) the UK Chamber of Shipping on the creation of a mandatory link to training UK seafarer ratings in the tonnage tax scheme; and what his policy is on the creation of such a link.

Stephen Hammond: Ministers and officials have had no recent discussions on this subject with either the trade unions or the UK Chamber of Shipping. We do not currently have plans to create a mandatory link to training UK seafarer ratings in the tonnage tax scheme, but we are aware that such ideas are being discussed and we will consider any proposals as part of our ongoing dialogue with the trade unions and the Chamber of Shipping.

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency: Driving Standards Agency

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many properties will become part of the new agency arising from the merger of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and the Driving Standards Agency; and what estimate he has made of the savings that will be realised from that merger.

Stephen Hammond: All of the current VOSA and DSA property comes under the new Agency. That totals some 348 offices and testing centre properties (as well as other smaller sites). A high level assessment was made to assure ourselves that the costs of moving to a single agency would easily be outweighed by the benefits. A detailed quantification of the benefits, and costs, will form part of the transition programme.

EDUCATION

Academies

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what training is provided to academy brokers on their responsibility to have regard for the Civil Service Code.

Edward Timpson: During academy brokers' induction, it is made clear that, while working for the Department, all academy brokers are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the principles of the Civil Service Code.

Academies

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the provision of departmental email accounts to academy brokers employed as contractors.

Edward Timpson: All academy brokers are issued with a departmental e-mail account, which they are required to use when conducting their departmental business.

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department has spent the following amounts on contracts with each of the organisations as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Financial year Deloitte PricewaterhouseCoopers KPMG Ernst and Young 
			 2008-09 407,707 2,724,570 9,898 84,387 
			 2009-10 388,970 2,657,722 524,256 0 
			 2010-11 294,110 1,192,687 461,606 0 
			 2011-12 327,648 4,477,429 0 0 
			 2012-13 150,618 1,178,450 17,941 0 
			 2013 (April to June) 55,300 40,184 0 0 
		
	
	The figures quoted for financial years prior to 2012-13 are for the Department only. Executive Agencies were set up from April 2012 and are included in the figures thereafter.
	Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the contracts they award(1). In addition, Departments publish details of spend in excess of £25,000.
	(1)Note:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/

Children: Detention Centres

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether (a) Campsfield House, (b) Tinsley House and (c) the Cedars pre-departure accommodation are regulated by the Children Act 1989 and the guidance and regulations which his Department issues on children's welfare.

Mark Harper: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	The Campsfield and Tinsley House immigration removal centres and the Cedars pre-departure accommodation do not carry out activities or provide services under the Children Act 1989, and do not fall to be regulated on that basis. These facilities are, however, inspected by HM Inspector of Prisons, and monitored by the Independent Monitoring Boards. In addition, the Children's Commissioner has powers of entry and inspection for the Tinsley family unit and for Cedars. A Detention Service Order on safeguarding is in place and staff are issued with details of the safeguarding policy for each facility. In addition, all staff are required to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

Grant Thornton

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department has not spent any monies with Grant Thornton since 2008.
	Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder(1), information on the contracts they award. In addition, Departments publish details of spend in excess of £25,000.
	(1)www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk

Northcote House

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department used the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss: Following a review of learning and development across Government, the National School of Government, which delivered training on the Sunningdale Park site, closed on 31 March 2012. Data on which individuals may have used the site was not retained.

Primary Education: Class Sizes

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average number of pupils per class in primary schools was in academic years (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

David Laws: Based on the January school census, data on average class sizes in state-funded primary and secondary schools in England for the academic years 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 is included in table 6(c) in the Statistical First Release 'Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics, January 2013'. A copy of this table has been placed in the House Library.
	
		
			 Table 6c: State-funded primary and secondary schools(1, 2, 3), classes as taught(4), January each year 2009 to 2013, England 
			  2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 
			 State-funded primary schools(1, 2)      
			 Average class size 26.2 26.4 26.6 26.8 26.8 
			 Total number of classes 142,916 142,357 142,799 144,233 146,166 
			 Percentage of classes with:      
			 1 to 30 pupils 90.1 90.6 90.6 90.6 90.3 
			 31 to 35 pupils 9.1 8.7 8.7 8.7 9.0 
			 36 or more pupils 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 
			 Total number of pupils 3,746,275 3,758,825 3,798,615 3,858,365 3,923,050 
			 Percentage of pupils in classes with:      
			 1 to 30 pupils 87.7 88.3 88.5 88.6 88.2 
			 31 to 35 pupils 11.2 10.6 10.4 10.4 10.7 
			 36 or more pupils 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0 
			       
			 State-funded secondary schools(1, 3)      
			 Average class size 20.6 20.5 20.4 20.5 20.3 
			 Total number of classes 148,408 149,193 149,449 148,130 148,045 
			 Percentage of classes with:      
			 1 to 30 pupils 93.3 93.5 93.4 93.5 93.8 
			 31 to 35 pupils 6.5 6.4 6.5 6.4 6.0 
			 36 or more pupils. 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 
			 Total number of pupils 3,064,185 3,060,425 3,053,290 3,030,400 3,006,960 
			 Percentage of pupils in classes with:      
			 1 to 30 pupils 89.6 89.8 89.7 89.8 90.3 
			 31 to 35 pupils 10.1 9.9 10.1 9.9 9.4 
			 36 or more pupils 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.4 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes all primary academies, including free schools. (3) Includes city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools. (4) One teacher classes as taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the census in January. Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of the component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: School Census.

Public Opinion

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on (a) focus groups and (b) opinion polls in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss: There has been no centrally co-ordinated or funded focus group or opinion poll activity since May 2010. To establish whether other areas of the Department have undertaken activity in this area would incur disproportionate cost.
	Between 2006 and 2010 public opinion research totalled £579,263.

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what per capita spending on primary school pupils in England was as a proportion of such spending on secondary school pupils in each year from 2010.

David Laws: Average per pupil funding figures for primary school pupils compared to secondary school pupils in England in financial years 2010 to 2014 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial year Primary:Secondary Funding Ratio 
			 2010 to 2011 1:1.27 
			 2011 to 2012 1:1.27 
			 2012 to 2013 1:1.30 
			 2013 to 2014 1:1.27 
		
	
	The ratios are derived from Section 251 Budget statements for 2010 to 2013 and Schools Block proforma data for 2013 to 2014. The figures are not directly comparable between 2013 to 2014 and the previous years as changes in the funding system mean figures for that year are Schools Block only and exclude pupils in SEN units and resourced provision. Also the 2013 to 2014 figures cover recoupment academies as well as maintained schools, where previous year figures cover maintained schools only.

Schools: Nottinghamshire

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate he has made of the number of temporary classrooms in Nottinghamshire Local Education Authority.

David Laws: As a result of the last Government's decision to stop collecting information on the condition of the school estate since 2005, the Department for Education does not at present hold data on the number of pupils educated in temporary classrooms in Nottinghamshire. We believe this decision was flawed, which is why the Department has been collecting up-to-date information on the school estate via the Property Data Survey Programme (PDSP), including the number of temporary classrooms across England.
	The survey programme is scheduled for completion in early autumn. The data gathered will then be subject to a rigorous quality assurance process. When this process has been finalised, the Department will use this information to inform future maintenance allocations.

Sure Start Programme

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many Sure Start schemes there are in (a) rural and (b) urban areas.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department does not hold the information in the format requested.

Teachers: West Midlands

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) teachers and (b) classroom assistants were employed in maintained schools in (i) the West Midlands, (ii) Birmingham and (iii) Birmingham, Selly Oak constituency in each of the last five academic years.

David Laws: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers and teaching assistants who were in service in publicly funded schools in each of the last two academic years in the West Midlands, Birmingham and Birmingham Selly Oak constituency. The numbers reflect the position as at November of each year.
	
		
			 Full- time equivalent teachers and teaching assistants in service in publicly funded schools, November 2010 and 2011: west midlands region, Birmingham local authority and Birmingham, Selly Oak constituency 
			  Teachers Teaching assistants 
			  2010 2011 2010 2011 
			 West midlands 49,250 48,110 22,780 23,680 
			 Birmingham 10,580 10,400 5,730 5,470 
			 Birmingham, Selly Oak 1,040 1,090 500 480 
			 Source: School Workforce Census 
		
	
	Data for November 2012 will be available on 17 July 2013 from the Statistical First Release ‘School Workforce in England, November 2012’:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-workforce-in-england-november-2012
	Tables 19 and 26 at the following link provide the time series of local authority figures for teacher and teaching assistant numbers who were in service in local authority maintained schools in England. The time series includes the position at January 2008 and 2009. Constituency level data could be provided only at disproportionate cost. These data do not include teachers working in academies as numbers at this time were too small to be significant. These tables have been placed in the House Library.
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151655/http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/xls/sfr232009t19t27v2xls.xls

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many answers by his Department to parliamentary questions involving tables of statistics fewer than four pages in length were (a) printed in full and (b) provided via a link to a website in the last year;
	(2)  what guidance his Department follows in determining whether statistics in answers to parliamentary questions are (a) provided in full, (b) provided via a link to a website and (c) deposited in the Library.

Elizabeth Truss: The Department follows guidance and advice from the Leader of the House of Commons(1) about how to provide statistics when answering parliamentary questions. As advised in the guidance, where tables, reports or other documents are placed in the Library (and where answers refer to information on the internet), our policy is to provide a paper copy to the Member, wherever practical.
	The Department does not hold a central record of how many tables were printed in full or provided via a weblink in the last year. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	(1) www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary -work
	Note:
	A copy has already been placed in the Library.

TREASURY

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Sajid Javid: The Department has spent a total of £35,457,959.71 in relation to contracts with Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG and Ernst and Young in each year since January 2008 to December 2012, a breakdown of these costs can be found in the following table.
	
		
			 £000 
			  Ernst & Young PricewaterhouseCoopers Deloitte KPMG 
			 2008 252,607.00 3,881,600.40 663,302.87 14,364.30 
			 2009 2,534,511.00 6,022,995.33 312,377.91 7,712,749.83 
			 2010 1,660,978.00 4,399,201.46 653,795.17 375,916.74 
			 2011 1,121,033.60 1,277,925.04 2,041,474.57 26,300.00 
			 2012 1,536,851.28 169,873.15 739,082.06 61,020.00 
			  7,105,980.88 15,751,595.38 4,410,032.58 8,190,350.87 
		
	
	The main spend with these companies have been in connection with financial stability, Equitable Life and OSCAR.
	Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the contracts they award
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
	In addition, Departments publish details of spend in excess of £25,000.

Charitable Donations

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to incentivise philanthropic giving outside of London; and if he will make a statement.

Sajid Javid: This Government recognises the hugely important contribution charities and philanthropists make to our society. That is why we have introduced a package of measures to incentivise charitable giving. These include the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme; the Cultural Gifts Scheme that gives a tax reduction to those giving items of cultural value to the nation; a lower rate of inheritance tax for estates that leave money to charity; and current consultation processes on improving Payroll Giving, Gift Aid on digital donations and a new social investment relief. These measures all build on the very successful Gift Aid scheme that is worth over £1 billion a year to charities.
	The Government wants to see the charity and philanthropy sector thrive across the UK and is therefore not currently intending to introduce a new tax in all areas to promote philanthropy in specific geographic areas.

Cheques

Lyn Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the Prudential Regulation Authority will successfully oversee the continuity of the management of paying and drawing cheques.

Sajid Javid: The Payments Council has made a clear statement that cheque facilities will continue to be available until the alternatives that would be put in place, including a paper based system, are available, acceptable and widely adopted.
	The Government also expects cheque facilities to fall within the powers of the new Payments Regulator.

Financial Services

Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress his Department has made in supporting the development of simplified financial retail products.

Sajid Javid: In 2011, the Government asked Carol Sergeant to chair an independent Simple Financial Products Steering Group, tasked with developing a suite of financial products which are straightforward and easy to understand. The recommendations of this group, along with their recommended suite of simple financial products, were published in the Sergeant Review on 13( )March this year. This is an opportunity for industry to proactively take steps to improve competition in savings and protection, by helping consumers to compare products and actively engage with the market as well as building consumer trust in the industry. The Government fully expects that the financial services industry will recognise these benefits, and look to industry to make the recommendations in the final Sergeant Review report a reality.

Interest Rate Swap Transactions

Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2013, Official Report, columns 715-6W, on interest rate swap transactions, if he will assess the economic effect and loss of jobs within the economy as a consequence of the mis-selling of interest rate hedging products.

Sajid Javid: The Financial Conduct Authority's review into the mis-selling of interest rate hedging products is now under way and the Government wants the process to be concluded as quickly and as fairly as possible. The Government's priority is that those businesses affected receive redress in a timely manner.

Revenue and Customs

Grahame Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any adverse impacts on HM Revenue and Customs' customers and staff with protected characteristics have been identified in the equality assessment for the Needs Enhanced Support pilot; and what measures it has put in place to minimise these.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs is committed to meeting all its obligations under the Equality Act 2010, stipulated under the public sector duty within the Act, both in relation to its staff and customers.
	The Department completed an initial 'impact assessment' to ensure it mitigated any adverse impacts that might arise from the new model.
	Additional independent research identified the most vulnerable groups who needed extra help. Their research included observations and interviews across a number of organisations, including HMRC and the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) and data analysis from several existing large-scale, robust government surveys. From these findings, HMRC concluded that a more flexible and accessible service is needed for customers who need extra help.
	HMRC conducted a public consultation from March to May and is now running a pilot in the North East until October. This will help to explore if there is more HMRC can do to ensure they fulfil their obligations. All of this evidence will be used to help HMRC make a decision in January 2014 on whether to rollout the new model nationally.

Revenue and Customs: Wales

Paul Murphy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will meet his counterpart in the Welsh Government to discuss the closure of HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centres in Wales;
	(2)  what plans he has to replace HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centres in Wales;
	(3)  when he last met his counterpart in the Welsh Government to discuss the proposed closure of HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centres in Wales;
	(4)  what representations he has received from people in Wales regarding the closure of HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centres in Wales.

David Gauke: HMRC has advised that no decision has been made regarding the future of its enquiry centres in Wales.
	HMRC will evaluate the feedback from the public consultation, which closed on 24 May together with the information gathered from the pilot currently running in the North East.
	HMRC plans to announce its decision on the way forward in January 2014.
	Treasury Ministers and officials engage with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to release details of all such meetings.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes were made to the levels of stamp duty from (a) 1997 to 2010 and (b) 2010 to date.

David Gauke: A table of rates and thresholds of stamp duty on property transactions (to 30 November 2003) and stamp duty land tax (from 1 December 2003) is published in H M Revenue and Customs' monthly property transaction statistics: see table 8 at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/transactions/val-40000-or-above.xls
	Rates of ad valorem stamp duty on transfers of stock and marketable securities during the period in question are as follows:
	27 October 1986 to 30 September 1999: 50p per £100 or part of £100
	1 October 1999 to date: 0.5% rounded up to the next multiple of £5.
	The fixed £5 stamp duty which applied to certain transactions, and ad valorem duty on transactions where the consideration is less than £1,000, were abolished from 13 March 2008.
	Stamp Duty Reserve Tax (SDRT) on agreements to transfer chargeable securities is charged at the same rate (0.5%) as stamp duty. This rate has been unchanged since 1986.

UK Financial Investments

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff at UK Financial Investments have worked at his Department within the last five years.

Sajid Javid: UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI) is mainly staffed by individuals with private sector and financial services experience. This experience is essential in discharging its core mandate.
	There are less than five members of staff who work for UKFI whom have worked at HM Treasury in the past five years. These members of staff work primarily in public policy and governance roles given the competencies which exist within the Department in these areas.

CABINET OFFICE

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how much No. 10 Downing Street spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008;
	(3)  how much the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Chloe Smith: The spend figures for (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008 is as follows:
	
		
			 Supplier 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Deloitte 425,249 1,741,450 382,514 0 21,500 
			 Ernst and Young 38,462 109,500 97,353 72,775 102,260 
			 KPMG 198,558 0 0 0 74,688 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers 675,989 2,806,681 4,656,083 2,615,562 611,536 
		
	
	These figures should be seen in the context of broader spend on similar firms. By taking stronger control of consulting and temporary labour, this Government saved £1.6 billion in 2012-13. Government expenditure on consultancy is now less than a quarter of the level it was in 2009-10.
	Details of expenditure approvals for consultancy controls are published on:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
	and on data.gov.uk:
	www.data.gov.uk
	Additionally, all new contracts over the value of £10,000 and payments of over £25,000 are published on Contracts Finder:
	https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder
	Under this Government's reforms, any contract for consultancy the estimated value of which exceeds £20,000 must obtain the approval of the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Corruption

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the role of the international anti-corruption champion involves; and what work the international anti-corruption champion has undertaken over the last 12 months.

Kenneth Clarke: The role of the champion is to help ensure a coherent approach to combating international corruption and has recently been expanded to include domestic corruption. In the last 12 months a significant amount of Government attention has been focused on anti-corruption, and the UK's response to the issue has been praised as:
	'highly adequate and in some ways exemplary'
	by the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. The prevention of corruption through greater transparency were key themes of the UK's recent G8 presidency. The G8 took action to help establish the beneficial owners of companies, to effectively tackle anti-money laundering and to shed greater light on the extractives industry. The UK will continue this work through our chairmanship of the Open Government Partnership, which aims to secure concrete commitments from Governments to promote transparency and fight corruption.

Corruption

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the level of corruption in the delivery of public services in England and Wales; and whether he plans to respond to Transparency International's report on that subject entitled Global Corruption Barometer 2013.

Kenneth Clarke: The report provides a helpful contribution to our work in this area and I welcome the continuing input of Transparency International in raising awareness of these issues.

Immigration: Statistics

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if, so as to provide an accurate record, he will request the Office of National Statistics to revise its long-term immigration statistics especially for the period 1997 to 2010 in the light of the results of the 2011 Census.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if, so as to provide an accurate record, he will request the Office of National Statistics to revise its long-term immigration statistics especially for the period 1997 to 2010 in the light of the results of the 2011 Census. 165742.
	Revised net migration, immigration and emigration figures have been published as components of change in revised mid-year population estimates from the year to mid-2002 to the year to mid-2010 for England and Wales. These take into account the results from the 2011 Census, and included a revision to the net migration component, focussed primarily on the middle part of the decade before improvements were made to the International Passenger Survey in 2009. This provides a revised series of net migration for the inter-censal period, which is shown in Table 1:
	
		
			 Table 1: Population estimates for England and Wales: Components of change for net international migration for the year to mid-2002 to the year to mid-2010 
			 Thousand 
			  Immigration Emigration Asylum seekers net migration Net migration 
			 2001-02 375 271 67 171 
			 2002-03 402 288 59 173 
			 2003-04 457 292 25 190 
			 2004-05 569 283 15 302 
			 2005-06 541 332 8 217 
			 2006-07 587 345 10 252 
			 2007-08 548 318 14 244 
			 2008-09 515 353 18 181 
			 2009-10 510 300 11 220 
			 Note: Net migration includes visitor and migrant switchers, plus asylum seeker net migration. Source: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/what-we-do/publication-scheme/published-ad-hoc-data/population/may-2013/mid-2002-to-2010-revised-components-of-change-for-england-and-wales.zip 
		
	
	No revisions have been made to either the mid-year population estimates or the international migration estimates for the period from 1997-2001 in light of the results of the 2011 census, and there are no plans to do so.
	ONS plans to publish a paper on the quality of international migration estimates from 2001 to 2011 in autumn 2013.

Open Government Partnership

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what (a) staffing and (b) financial resources his Department has dedicated to implementing the UK's 2013 National Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership.

Nick Hurd: Our final plan is not yet published and commitments are not finalised.

Public Sector: Procurement

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his policy is on taking account of human rights related matters in public procurement of goods and services.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 July 2013, Official Report, columns 415-6W.
	The Cabinet Office will apply the most appropriate selection criteria to achieve value for money on a case by case basis.

Regulation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the title is of each regulation his Department (a) introduced and (b) revoked in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: No regulation was introduced or revoked by the Cabinet Office between May and December 2010. The One-in, One-out rule applied to regulations introduced from 1 January 2011. Since January 2011 information regarding the regulations the Cabinet Office has introduced and those it plans to remove has been published on a six-monthly basis in its Statement of New Regulation (SNR). The statements are available on GOV.UK at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-innovation-skills/series/one-in-two-out-statement-of-new-regulation

Third Sector: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how the commitment in the 2013 Spending Review of continued funding of £56 million to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations relates to the commitment made in the 2010 Spending Review of £470 million to support capacity building in the voluntary and community sector.

Nick Hurd: For 2015-16 we have protected our core civil society programmes by providing sustained funding at the 2014-15 level of £56 million (this figure does not include National Citizen Service).

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Primary Elections

Tessa Jowell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether the Government plans to implement the commitment in the coalition agreement to fund 200 all-postal primaries over the present Parliament, targeted at seats which have not changed hands for many years;
	(2)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of funding 200 all-postal primaries for the selection of parliamentary candidates before the 2015 general election;
	(3)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of funding a pan-London primary to select mayoral candidates before the 2016 London mayoral election.

Chloe Smith: There are significant costs associated with funding 200 all-postal primaries. As such the Government is considering how to take forward this measure. However, the political parties can choose to fund all-postal primaries where they want to (including for the London Mayoral elections) without requiring this to be funded by the taxpayer. The Government's commitment relates only to the funding of postal primaries for parliamentary seats.

Primary Elections

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he plans to bring forward proposals for 200 all-postal primaries following the undertaking to do so in the coalition agreement.

Chloe Smith: There are significant costs associated with funding 200 all-postal primaries. As such the Government is considering how to take forward this measure. However, the political parties can choose to fund all-postal primaries where they want to without requiring this to be funded by the taxpayer.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Burma

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what guidance his Department gives to companies on investment in Burma on projects which cause displacement;
	(2)  what guidance his Department gives to UK companies on trade or investment with the Yuzana group of companies in Burma.

Michael Fallon: Since the suspension of EU sanctions in April 2012 and subsequent removal, the British Government has committed to promoting responsible trade and investment in support of Burma's democratic reform process.
	Where companies have expressed interest in Burma, Ministers have been able to refer them to the UKTI office which opened in Rangoon in July 2012. UKTI can offer practical support and advice to British companies who are interested in the opportunities in Burma. Details, along with a practical Guide for Doing Business in Burma and FCO political and economic updates can be found on the UKTI website.
	The British Government urges all UK companies entering Burma to abide by international standards of corporate governance and social and environmental responsibility. In particular, this means adhering to the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises, and the UN's Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In recognition of the importance of business activity remaining consistent with human rights, the British Government has committed £600,000 to the Centre for Responsible Investment, which will be equipped to offer advice on responsible investment to any foreign company looking to invest in Burma, including on land issues. We are also providing £150,000 to support the implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, a global standard which promotes revenue transparency and accountability in the extractives sector.

Business: Government Assistance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the Government's policy is on promoting small and medium-sized enterprises and other UK businesses in Government speeches, publications and press releases.

Michael Fallon: Promoting and supporting the work of British business—small, medium and large—forms a key part of Government communication activities, including speeches, publications, digital media, paid-for marketing, and press releases.

Credit: Interest Rates

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to tackle payday lending.

Jo Swinson: The Government is deeply concerned about evidence of widespread problems in the payday market. In March we announced, together with the regulators, a tough action plan of immediate and longer term measures to address the key concerns identified. Since then action has been underway to deliver on this.
	The current regulator Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is in the midst of tough enforcement and compliance activity. Since March, the OFT has sent compliance letters to the 50 leading payday lenders (accounting for 90% of the market). Of the 28 that have responded so far, 10 have left the payday market. All responses are expected by the end of this month. If the OFT still has concerns they can take enforcement action, including imposing legal requirements, taking steps to remove the lender's licence or, in extreme cases, immediately suspending the lender's licence. In addition to the 50 lenders, the OFT has revoked the licences of three other payday lenders and another has surrendered its licence since March.
	OFT has also just referred the entire payday lending market to the Competition Commission, on the grounds that there are fundamental problems with the way the payday lending market works. The FCA's new competition remit to tackle markets which are not functioning properly means it is well-placed to respond to the outcome of the Competition Commission's review.
	The FCA has committed to prioritise action on payday lending right from April 2014. In preparation it is considering:
	requiring the payday lending sector to go through the rigorous FCA authorisation process first out of all credit sectors, where firms will need to meet a much higher bar to continue to trade and rogues ejected from the market.
	putting much of the current OFT guidance into binding FCA rules, which the FCA will be able to use its enforcement powers to police.
	whether new, additional targeted interventions on payday lending are necessary from April 2014.
	The FCA will set out their proposals on new rules and interventions in a September consultation.
	The Government has just held, on 1 July, a payday lending summit to take stock of where we have got to since March, and to consider what still needs to be done collectively to address outstanding concerns. We also launched two surveys to check how well the payday industry is meeting the standards set out in the voluntary codes. The Government is also supporting the provision of alternatives to payday loans. This includes committing investment of up to £38 million in credit unions to increase access to affordable credit for at least one million more people by 2019.

Credit: Interest Rates

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have owed more than £500 on a payday loan in each of the last five years.

Jo Swinson: The Government do not hold this data and are not aware that it exists.

Credit: Interest Rates

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have received a payday loan in each of the last five years.

Jo Swinson: The Government do not collect this data. Estimates of the number of households in Great Britain using payday loans varies from over 300,000 according to YouGov (2011) to around 1.5 million (2012) according to the Aviva Family Finances Survey. The following table provides data for each of the last five years.
	
		
			 Estimates of households using payday loans 
			  YouGov Debt track Survey Aviva Family Finances Survey(1) 
			 2008 149,000 — 
			 2009 151,000 750,000 
			 2010 279,000 750,000 
			 2011 333,000 1,400,000 
			 2012 — 1,500,000 
			 (1) Numbers prior to 2012 have been estimated using the growth rate of payday lending from the YouGov Survey.

Credit: Interest Rates

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have owed more than £1,000 on a payday loan in each of the last five years.

Jo Swinson: The Government do not hold this data and are not aware that it exists.

Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much has been spent by his Department (a) in total and (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

Jo Swinson: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills is committed to ensuring its policies and practices secure equality of opportunity for all. To help achieve this, it has spent a total of £689,470.40, including staff costs of £683,970.40, in the last three financial years.
	In 2010-11 and 2011-12 the staffing costs were £224,076.90. In 2012-13 this rose slightly to £235816.60 due to additional temporary replacement resource to cover maternity leave.
	The total staff working on equality, diversity and inclusion have reduced from 4.7FTE in 2010 to the current 4.0 FTE.

Graduates: Debts

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of raising the level of tuition fees and falling levels of entrepreneurialism and company start-up among graduates because of higher indebtedness; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: At this stage, it is too early to evaluate the full impact of the recent increases in student tuition fees on graduates' decisions, as the new fee levels were introduced only in 2012. Student loans are different from other types of debt because they are income contingent; borrowers will only repay at a rate of 9% of their income above £21,000. This is higher than the repayment threshold set for those subject to the tuition fee loan regime implemented by the previous Administration in 2006, meaning loan repayments are lower.
	No assessment has been made of the impact on entrepreneurialism and company start-up among graduates after the introduction of tuition fee loans in 2006. However, data provided by GEM(1) shows that total early stage entrepreneurial activity for graduates aged between 18 and 24 years increased between 2010 and 2011.
	GEM(2) data also shows that total early stage entrepreneurial activity in the UK is now higher than it has been since the series began in 2002 (9.8% in 2012 for the adult population). Numbers of business start-ups have also remained resilient between 2008 and 2012, with around half a million new businesses being created annually in Great Britain, over this period.
	The Government is encouraging an entrepreneurial mindset and building ambition in young people through activities in schools, colleges and universities. For example, BIS is funding The National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs in developing and driving forward student enterprise societies across higher and further education institutions.
	(1) Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.
	(2) Total early stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA rate) measures the percentage of adults (aged 18 to 64 years) actively involved in setting up or running a business less than 42-months-old.

Office of Fair Trading: Competition Commission

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of staff of Civil Service equivalent Grade 7 and above have left the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission in the last 18 months.

Jo Swinson: Turnover at OFT for staff at grade 7 and above in the 18 months 1 January 2012-30 June 2013:
	In the last 18 months, 43 employees of civil service equivalent grade 7 and above left the OFT. This is a turn over of 16.6%.
	Turnover at the Competition Commission for staff at grade 7 and above in the 18 months 1 January 2012—30 June 2013:
	In the last 18 months, 14 employees of civil service equivalent Grade 7 and above left the Competition Commission. This is a turnover of 10.94%.

Office of Fair Trading: Competition Commission

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what procedures are in place for retaining experienced staff at the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission at Civil Service equivalent Grade 7 and above.

Jo Swinson: Recruiting, attracting and retaining a skilled and talented workforce is essential to the work of the OFT and the Competition Commission (CC).
	To achieve this, both organisations offer high quality work that provides interest and development for their staff. They invest heavily in development of staff and offer career development through substantive and temporary promotion opportunities. Both organisations offer flexible working to support work/life balance.
	Staff in the OFT and also the CC are given the opportunity to work on high profile and important areas of work.
	Some examples of the OFT and CC's retention efforts include: short term secondments, temporary promotions, staff support, promotion of employee assistance programmes promotion of an employee assistance programme, appropriate use of pay and reward policies to recognise the excellent contribution staff are making to the success of the OFT and CC and a review of performance management to ensure it aligns with the need to motivate and retain staff.

Official Cars

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials in his Department used Government cars for a business reason in each year since 2009.

Jo Swinson: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Official Cars

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which officials in his Department were entitled to use the Government car pool in each year since 2009.

Jo Swinson: When the allocated car provided by the Government Car Service is not in use by Ministers it can be used for the transport of other officials.

Pay

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of businesses paying salaries between the value of the minimum wage and the living wage in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

Jo Swinson: There is no universally accepted definition of the living wage. Therefore we have made no such assessment.

Postgraduate Education

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department's policy is on the creation of a tuition fee loan system for postgraduate university study.

David Willetts: Postgraduate research and taught training is important both to individuals and to developing higher level skills for the economy. The Government provides funding to support eligible individuals undertaking postgraduate qualifications, through Research Councils support for postgraduate research and Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) support towards the costs of postgraduate taught courses and research supervision costs.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) recently announced £25 million for a Postgraduate Support Scheme to be distributed as grants to universities and colleges to test, among other things, different ways of financing postgraduate study. This could involve innovative partnerships and proposals involving employers, universities and/or lenders.
	Further details about the HEFCE Postgraduate Support Scheme can be found at:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/year/2013/cl182013/#d.en.82616

Royal Mail

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has received any (a) oral and (b) written representations from the Scottish Government on his plans to sell shares in Royal Mail.

Michael Fallon: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has not received any representations from the Scottish Government regarding the sale of shares in Royal Mail.

UK Trade and Investment

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what guidance or support UK Trade and Investment offers to foreign businesses who express an interest in buying from UK companies; and what Government policy is on acting as a reference customer to foreign businesses for specific UK businesses which successfully sell goods or services to Government.

Michael Fallon: UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) works diligently to ensure maximum benefit is derived by UK businesses through trading in international markets.
	This work includes UKTI staff in 100 overseas markets working to identify and advertise business opportunities to UK businesses. Over 500 business opportunities from foreign businesses and foreign Government contracts are published on UKTI's website across all sectors each month. UK companies registered with UKTI's website and who show an interest in an opportunity will then be put in contact with local UKTI staff overseas who will provide details of interested UK companies to the foreign businesses or foreign government looking for suppliers.
	This is just one of the ways in which UKTI seeks to identify opportunities for UK businesses, but there are others, for example:
	UKTI's Technology Partnership Team (TPT) works to build relationships with national and multinational companies globally to identify real commercial trade opportunities within their value chains where high tech high growth UK SME's may be introduced. The TPT works with Deal Architects (business development specialists) both in the UK and overseas to build these value chain relationships and currently has existing opportunities with Cisco, Samsung, Huawei, BT, Ten Cent, Panasonic, Lenovo and many more.
	Separately, UKTI's events and missions programme will deliver a comprehensive series of activities this year in the UK and overseas. This will include inward missions, where UKTI, working with trade associations, helps bring overseas buyers to the UK to meet UK businesses operating successfully in a particular sector. Inward missions form an important element of the UKTI programme.
	UKTI does not endorse UK businesses nor can it act as a reference or intelligent customer for foreign businesses. Knowledge of UK success or excellence in a particular field can always help UKTI and those it works with deliver better services to business. UKTI's role is to identify businesses that have the potential to fulfil contract requirements and to support them to win those contracts. The decision to pursue negotiations or partnerships is a purely commercial one made by these businesses.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assistance his Department has provided to MBDA Systems in the development of a prototype Brimstone missile suitable for use on a US unmanned aerial vehicle platform.

Michael Fallon: The Department is not providing assistance to MBDA Missile Systems for the development of a prototype Brimstone missile.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many answers by his Department to Parliamentary Questions involving tables of statistics fewer than four pages in length were (a) printed in full and (b) provided via a link to a website in the last year.

Jo Swinson: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Marriage: Ceremonies

Anne McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reason prayers are not permitted at civil weddings; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Grant: I am replying to this parliamentary question as I have responsibility for the Marriage Act 1949.
	It has been a fundamental principle since the introduction of civil marriage that civil marriage should be clearly separated from religious marriage. Section 45(2) of the Marriage Act 1949 states that
	'No religious service shall be used at any marriage solemnized in the office of a superintendent registrar'.
	Section 46B of the Marriage Act 1949 also states that
	'No religious service shall be used at a marriage on approved premises in pursuance of section 26(1) (bb) of this Act’.
	There are no plans to allow a religious element to civil marriage.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Bureaucracy

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which regulations his Department has removed as part of the red tape challenge that affect the agriculture industry.

David Heath: Regulations affecting the agriculture industry will be reviewed under a new Red Tape Challenge theme covering agriculture which will be launched on 17 July. Wherever possible, the resulting proposals to remove or improve regulations will be delivered by this Parliament.
	This will build on the work of the Farming Regulation Task Force. The task force focused mainly on the delivery of agricultural legislation whereas the Red Tape Challenge is an opportunity to review the underpinning regulations.
	The Task Force Implementation Group, chaired by Richard Macdonald, published a 'One Year On' assessment of progress in February 2013. They acknowledged the positive action taken by the Government to date but highlighted much of it is yet to be felt by farmers. The Red Tape Challenge will add momentum to the task force aim of reducing regulatory burdens on farmers.
	I would encourage anyone with suggestions on reducing unnecessary red tape to comment on the website
	www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
	or e-mail the Red Tape Challenge inbox
	redtapechallenge@cabinet-office.gsi.gov.uk
	after the theme is launched.

Agriculture: Bureaucracy

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the red tape challenge on heath and safety in the agricultural sector.

Mark Hoban: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The Red Tape Challenge has not proposed changes to specific agricultural health and safety regulations. However, all the comments were considered by Professor Lofstedt in his independent review of health and safety (‘Reclaiming health and safety for all: an independent review of health and safety’).
	As part of the review of Approved Codes of Practices (ACOPs) recommended by Professor Lofstedt, the Health and Safety Executive plans to withdraw the ‘Preventing accidents to children in agriculture’ ACOP but the Prevention of Accidents to Children in Agriculture Regulations 1998 will remain in place.
	All the work being taken forward to deliver the Lofstedt recommendations is intended to simplify the body of health and safety regulation and guidance without reducing the necessary protections in the workplace.

Agriculture: Chemicals

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to require companies in the agri-chemical industry to place the results of risk assessment trials in the public domain.

David Heath: A significant amount of information about these studies, including summaries of the results, is already published, in particular on the website of the European Food Safety Authority.
	Access to redacted versions of the studies themselves is possible either through reading them at the offices of the pesticides regulator, the Chemicals Regulation Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive, or through access to information legislation such as the Freedom of Information Act. The question of whether to require these studies to be placed in the public domain routinely is being examined in the context of the recommendations of the Environmental Audit Committee, contained in its report Pollinators and Pesticides.

Agriculture: Finance

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if he will publish details of expenditure on the Forestry Commission identified in his Department's annual report and accounts 2011-12 in each of the last three years; and what the projected spend for each of the next three years by (a) scheme and (b) individual project is;
	(2)  if he will publish details of expenditure under the Rural Payments Agency other programme identified in his Department's annual report and accounts 2011-12 in each of the last three years; and what the projected spend for each of the next three years by (a) scheme and (b) individual project is;
	(3)  if he will publish details of expenditure under the Rural Payments Agency running costs programme identified in his Department's annual report and accounts 2011-12 in each of the last three years; and what the projected spend for each of the next three years by (a) scheme and (b) individual project is;

David Heath: holding answer 15 July 2013
	These questions relate to departmental strategic objectives that were established as part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review. DEFRA has not reported this breakdown since 2010-11. Therefore, this is the only year for which data is provided.
	A table detailing the breakdown of the priorities by programme has been placed in the House Library.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many recipients of (a) single farm payment and (b) any other CAP payment received (i) more than 1 million euro, (ii) more than 500,000 euro but less than 1 million euro, (iii) more than 300,000 euro but less than 500,000 euro, (iv) more than 200,000 euro but less than 300,000 euro, (v) more than 100,000 euro but less than 200,000 euro, (vi) more than 50,000 euro but less than 100,000 euro, (vii) more than 25,000 euro but less than 50,000 euro and (viii) less than 25,000 euro for each payment type and from each of Pillar I and II in each of the last 10 years.

David Heath: The following table displays details of all Pillar I and Pillar II payments for 16 October 2010 to 15 October 2011 and 16 October 2011 to 15 October 2012.
	The data for 2011 and 2012 is fully assured and made publicly available via the DEFRA CAP Beneficiaries website at:
	http://cap-payments.defra.gov.uk/.
	Data for previous years may be held in some of RPA's source systems but it is not in a readily available assured state, and not fit for publication.
	
		
			 CAP Beneficiaries payments 
			  2012 2011 
			  Pillar I Pillar II Pillar I Pillar II 
			 <€1 million 12 23 11 18 
			 <€5000,000 and <= €1 million 42 31 38 45 
			 <€300,000 and <= €500,000 120 51 122 56 
			 <€200,000 and <= €300,000 330 66 319 76 
			 <€100,000 and <= €200,000 1,869 346 1,953 333 
			 <€50,000 and <= €100,000 5,766 862 5,772 899 
			 <€25,000 and <= €50,000 12,312 2,403 12,539 2,250 
			 <€25,000 83,832 53,048 83,840 55,018

Ash Dieback Disease

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in how many UK sites Chalara fraxinea infection has been confirmed to date.

David Heath: The Forestry Commission regularly publishes numbers of confirmed infected sites in the UK on its website. The update for 15 July 2013 shows a total of 541 sites comprising 24 nursery sites, 330 recently planted sites and 187 sites in the wider environment.

Beef: Exports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the attractiveness of British beef for export.

David Heath: I am personally convinced that British beef has considerable attractiveness as an export.
	Others share my conviction, as DEFRA has been able to open the market for British beef in Hong Kong and southern and western Africa. We have achieved significant milestones in fostering the export trade to Russia in beef and also lamb. We are optimistic that the forthcoming EU-USA trade negotiations will open that market to British beef. Currently, a team of officials from Singapore is carrying out an inspection visit to the UK with a view to opening the market for British beef to Singapore.
	The export of British beef has risen in value by 24% from 2010 to 2012.

Beef: Exports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to enhance the reputation of British beef abroad.

David Heath: British grass fed beef is renowned as of the highest quality and in the last year I and other DEFRA Ministers have taken the opportunity to promote British beef exports at trade shows abroad. At a recent round table event in Scotland, new and established exporters were unanimous in their support of such ministerial visits as an effective means of promoting British beef.
	Therefore DEFRA Ministers plan to visit trade shows in Japan and Russia in the coming year to promote British beef and will also take the opportunity of the visit to China later this year to enhance the confidence of the Chinese authorities in our food safety systems and in particular to raise the profile of our beef and lamb.
	The export of British beef to third countries has risen by 24% in value in the last two years.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2013, Official Report, column 463W, on bovine tuberculosis, 
	(1)  under what other legislation investigations into TB-related fraudulent activity are undertaken; and how many prosecutions have resulted from investigations into TB-related fraudulent activity since 2007;
	(2)  what the geographical distribution is of the cases which have resulted in prosecutions for TB-related fraudulent activity.

David Heath: TB-related fraudulent activity could include Cattle Identification Regulations 2007 and the Disease Control Order 2003 being breached, as well as TB legislation. The investigating body of fraudulent activity may also conclude that it is in the public interest to undertake a prosecution under solely the Fraud Act 2006. Enforcement activity taken under DEFRA-owned legislation is recorded on the Animal Movement Enforcement System (AMES). There is no central database for recording prosecutions taken under other legislation. This information would be available only from each individual local authority.
	TB-related fraudulent activity involving offences, and prosecutions, under the Cattle Identification Regulations 2007 for example, cannot be differentiated on AMES from other cattle identification prosecutions.
	Bovine TB is a devolved issue. Data on the geographical spread of all prosecutions initiated and convictions achieved under the Tuberculosis (England) Order 2007 relate to England only. This data is for all TB prosecutions and may or may not include what might be considered fraudulent activity.
	
		
			 Number 
			  Prosecution initiated Convictions achieved 
			 South West 8 5 
			 South East 4 0 
			 North 9 4 
			 Midlands 3 2

Bovine Tuberculosis: Meat

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his Department decided to sell for human consumption beef known to be infected by bovine TB; how much revenue has been earned from such sales to date; and for what reasons such meat is not labelled as having bovine TB.

David Heath: DEFRA (and previously MAFF), along with the other agriculture departments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, has for many years received revenue for the carcases of cattle slaughtered for bovine TB control purposes, in an attempt to offset for the taxpayer a fraction of the total cost of compensating farmers for their lost animals. In the last 10 years DEFRA has received a total of £38 million from the sale of TB reactor cattle, compared with £265 million spent on compensation to herd owners in England.
	The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) considered the M.bovis risk to humans from meat in March 2010, confirming their 2001 risk assessment that the risk, if any, from the consumption of meat is very low. In addition, the European Food Safety Authority's June 2013 opinion on meat inspection declared the TB risk from meat to be negligible, which is defined as so rare it does not merit consideration. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) considers, therefore, that the risk to human health from bovine TB through consumption of meat is very low and current evidence does not indicate a food safety issue.
	Meat from TB reactors, once passed by the FSA as fit and safe for human consumption, does not require any special labelling to distinguish it from other meat and to enter the human food chain.

Common Agricultural Policy

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2013, Official Report, columns 1040-1, on common agricultural policy, what his plans are for the allocation of the funds transferred from pillar one to pillar two within the rural development plan for England; what proportion of these funds will be directed to (a) agri-environment schemes and (b) other measures and purposes; and if he will make a statement.

David Heath: The next Rural Development Programme is a major opportunity to invest in the rural environment, farming competitiveness and growth. Rewarding farmers for the environmental goods they provide is a much better use of taxpayers' money than providing income support. Support for UK farming should also be focused on helping the sector become more efficient and productive than its global rivals. We therefore very much welcome the flexibility to transfer funding from Pillar 1 to Pillar 2. As part of ongoing discussions with interested parties on the new Rural Development Programme we will consult on the potential impact of a transfer.
	I am looking at the range of possible uses of money and at getting better value for money across the next programme. As part of this I am looking at options for a new agri-environment scheme for the new programme. Together with long-term agri-environment commitments we have already made in the current programme, I expect that this will be a significant part of the future Rural Development Programme.

Food

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of all food procured for his Department was sourced from (a) British producers, (b) small and medium-sized enterprises and (c) producers which met British buying standards in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: Eurest is contracted to provide catering services for core DEFRA’s two staff restaurants; the figures provided are based on Eurest's purchasing for this contract. These figures are the latest available and cover the period April to June 2013.
	(a) The proportion of food procured from British producers was 65%. The remainder includes coffee, tea, rice, pasta and citrus fruits.
	(b) The proportion of food procured from small and medium-sized enterprises was 44%; and
	(c) All food procured met British buying standards.

Food: Imports

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2013, Official Report, column 72W, on food: exports, what (a) proportion and (b) value of UK food and drink exports came from (i) Singapore, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama collectively and (ii) India, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Gulf Co-operation Council, Canada and the US collectively in each of the last three years.

David Heath: The value and proportion of UK food, feed and drink exports to (i) Singapore, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama collectively is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  2009 2010 2011 2012(1) 
			 Value of exports to (i) (£ billion) 0.28 0.36 0.49 0.50 
			 Proportion of total UK exports (percentage) 2 2 3 3 
		
	
	The value and proportion of UK food, feed and drink exports to (ii) India, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Gulf Co-operation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates), Canada and the US collectively is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  2009 2010 2011 2012(1) 
			 Value of exports to (ii) (£ billion) 1.81 2.17 2.69 2.98 
			 Proportion of total UK exports (percentage) 13 14 15 16 
			 (1) Provisional. Note: 2012 data is provisional and is subject to amendment. Source: HM Revenue and Customs.

Internal Drainage Boards: Arun

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2013, Official Report, column 120W, on internal drainage boards, what the names are of the two internal drainage boards that overlap the Arun District; and who the members are of each board.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 15 July 2013
	There are no internal drainage boards for the Arun District.
	The two internal drainage districts (IDDs) overlapping the Arun District are the South West Sussex IDD and the River Arun IDD, which are managed by the Environment Agency. The local authorities do not have direct representation in the management of these IDDs.
	The current IDDs are overseen by the Environment Agency Board. The Environment Agency is currently working with local authorities, IDD ratepayers, Natural England, the Association of Drainage Authorities and other key stakeholders to identify and achieve a successful transition to more locally accountable arrangements in this area.

Livestock: Animal Welfare

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps he has taken to ensure the welfare of farm animals is monitored regularly.

David Heath: The Animal Health and. Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) carries out inspections of farmed premises to check the welfare of livestock and to see whether the UK legislation and the welfare codes are being followed. This includes spot checks and planned risk-based inspections.
	If a referral, complaint or allegation about poor welfare conditions on-farm is reported to AHVLA, an immediate veterinary risk assessment is undertaken and, according to the level of risk that animals will be suffering, they will carry out an inspection on that farm and the livestock present within 24 hours.
	AHVLA also works with local authorities and the RSPCA, where appropriate, to investigate potential breaches of animal welfare as quickly as possible.

Nature Conservation: British Overseas Territories

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which British Overseas Territories have ratified the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals to date.

Richard Benyon: The United Kingdom ratified the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals in July 1985 and this has been extended to most of the UK Overseas Territories.
	The Territories that are included within UK ratification of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals are:
	Bermuda;
	British Indian Ocean Territory;
	British Virgin Islands;
	Cayman Islands;
	Cyprus Sovereign base areas;
	Falkland Islands;
	Gibraltar;
	Montserrat;
	Pitcairn;
	South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands;
	St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha;
	and
	Turks and Caicos Islands.

Squirrels

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is minimal incursion of grey squirrels in areas populated by red squirrels.

Richard Benyon: Our red squirrel conservation strategy is based on conservation where there remain viable populations in northern England and on the Isle of Wight and Poole Harbour islands in the south.
	In the north of England, 17 carefully selected forest areas in both private and public ownership have been given red squirrel reserve status. In these reserves and surrounding buffer zones (collectively known as strongholds), grey squirrel control is carried out and the forests are managed to discourage grey squirrel colonisation.
	This work is coordinated by Red Squirrels North England, a partnership project involving the Forestry Commission, Natural England, Northumberland Wildlife Trust and the Red Squirrel Survival Trust.
	The majority of our financial support for red squirrels, which amounts to around £300,000 per year, comes through grant aid for grey squirrel control under the English Woodland Grant scheme. This scheme, which is administered by the Forestry Commission, is carefully targeted at the red squirrel strongholds. The remainder is for red squirrel conservation work carried out on the public forest estate.
	On the Isle of Wight and Poole Harbour islands there are red but no grey squirrels. The strategy here is to prevent greys from crossing to the islands.

Water: Meters

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether water companies are obliged to offer customers an assessed charge if the cost of installing a meter is prohibitive for either party.

Richard Benyon: The Water Industry Act 1999 ensures that any customer can request a water meter and this must be installed for free. The installation of a meter cannot, therefore, be cost prohibitive for a customer. Where it is not practical for a company to install a meter, or the cost of installation would be prohibitive for the company, Ofwat obliges companies to offer customers an assessed charge. This charge must bear as much relation as possible to the volume of water a customer would be likely to use.
	The way that assessed charges are set varies from company to company. However, each company must treat all its customers on assessed charges in the same way.
	The most common assessed charges are based on:
	the number of bedrooms in a property;
	the type of property;
	the number of people who live in the property; or
	a fixed charge based on the average metered bill in the water company's area.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spend analysis from the financial years 2010-11 to 2012-13 is displayed in the table. Spend prior to 2010-11 can be retrieved only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 FCO spend 
			 £ 
			 FY Deloitte PWC KPMG Ernst & Young 
			 2010-11 (1)1,398.35 8,061.90 2,359,839.17 n/a 
			 2011-12 n/a 5,264.74 2,783s998.76 n/a 
			 2012-13 (2)5,023.00 1,364.46 176,458.50 7,934.79 
			 n/a = no expenditure (1) Recorded as Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India PVT (2) Recorded as Deloitte & Touche

British Overseas Territories

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Overseas Territories (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have visited in an official capacity since May 2010.

Mark Simmonds: Since May 2010, FCO Ministers have paid official visits to Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Ascension Island, the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
	In the same time period, FCO officials have paid official visits to all of the Overseas Territories.

Burma

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Burma on repealing all repressive laws in that country.

Hugo Swire: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 15 July 2013, Official Report, column 467W, to the hon. Member for Bolton South East (Yasmin Qureshi).

China

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on adoption of the UN Group of Environmental Experts report at the UN General Assembly.

David Lidington: The UN group of Government experts on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security (UNGGE), held its last meeting in New York from 3 to 7 June 2013. The group included officials both from the UK and China. The UNGGE's final report on norms of behaviour and confidence building measures is due to be presented to UNGA later this year. While the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) has not held direct discussions with his Chinese counterpart since the UNGGE met in June, we would welcome the Chinese Government's attendance at the next cyber conference, in Seoul in October, where we can continue to engage on this and other important cyber issues.

China

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to the public purse is of his Department's plans to upgrade the UK Government estate in China.

David Lidington: We have a number of projects to develop our estate in China. However, as these have yet to be tendered, cost estimates are not published in order to avoid compromising our commercial position. Projects include new premises in Shanghai and Guangzhou—the former a British centre which will bring together with the consulate general, a number of UK interests such as the China-Britain Business Council and the British Council. We also have plans to invest in our visa operation in Beijing.

China

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been made by representatives of the Government of China to the raising of British concerns about cyber-security and Chinese activity at recent meetings between officials of his Department and their Chinese counterparts.

Alistair Burt: Cyber security is an important global issue. It is essential therefore that all responsible states are clear on what is acceptable behaviour in cyberspace. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have been at the forefront of this debate, including through our membership of the UN Group of Governmental Experts, which includes China, to find consensus on norms of state behaviour which are underpinned by confidence building measures in cyberspace. The UN Group of Government Experts' most recent meeting agreed a report on norms of behaviour which is due to be presented to the UN General Assembly later this year. This is a positive step forward in addressing global cyber security concerns.

China

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the briefing on China provided by his officials to the Foreign Affairs Committee in July 2013, what recent representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on responsible state behaviour.

Hugo Swire: We regularly have discussions with China that welcome and encourage an active, constructive and responsible role in international politics.
	I understand that this question refers specifically to cyber security issues. It is essential that all responsible states are clear on what is acceptable behaviour in cyberspace. Cyber security remains a top priority for the UK Government and we regularly engage with international partners on cyber security, including China. Both the UK and China are members of the UN Group of Governmental Experts, which aims to find consensus on norms of state behaviour in cyberspace.
	The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), hosted the London Cyber Conference in 2011 and attended the Budapest Cyber Conference in 2012. The Chinese Government was represented at both conferences. We would welcome the Chinese Government's attendance at the next Cyber Conference in Seoul in October, where we can continue to engage on important cyber issues.

Conflict Pool

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding his Department allocated to the Conflict Pool in each year from 2010-11 to date; how much he estimates will be allocated in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: The Conflict Pool is funded from a Treasury settlement on conflict resources which is separate from and additional to departmental budgets. The settlement is jointly managed by the Department for International Development, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. The Peacekeeping Budget, which meets certain obligatory costs falling to the UK, mainly from UN peacekeeping, has first call on this settlement.
	Allocations to the Pool from FY 2010-11 to FY 2012-13 were as follows:
	
		
			  Allocation (£ million) 
			 2010-11 178.5 
			 2011-12 180 
			 2012-13 209 
			 2013-14 229 
		
	
	The indicative allocation available for 2014-15 is £224 million. I refer to the statement on Conflict Resources made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), to the House on 13 June 2013, Official Report, column 14WS.
	In response to unforeseen demands Departments sometimes commit further resources to the Pool from their core budgets. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not done so since FY 2009-10.

Conflict Pool

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish details of the number of regional conflict advisers employed through the Regional Pool programme in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; what estimate he has made of the likely number in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: The number of regional conflict advisers (RCAs) funded by the Conflict Pool were as follows:
	(a) FY 2010-11: five
	(b) FY 2011-12: six
	(c) FY 2012-13: 10
	(i) The number of RCAs remains 10 for FY 2013-14.
	(ii) While there are currently no plans to change the number in FY 2014-15 this will be subject to the next Conflict Pool resource allocation process in the autumn.

Conflict Pool

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which civil society organisations were funded through the Conflict Pool programme in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: The Pool works with a wide range of UK, international and host country civil society organisations to design and deliver projects in line with our conflict prevention objectives, in keeping with the Building Stability Overseas Strategy (BSOS). The BSOS recognises the crucial role that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have in building strong institutions, effective political processes and resilient societies.
	In FY 2012-13 we estimate that the six Conflict Pool programmes funded projects implemented by more than 150 separate CSOs. Figures for FYs 2010-11 and 2011-12 are likely to be of a similar size. Management of Conflict Pool programmes is highly devolved to individual programmes and teams in host countries; full details of all CSOs funded for project work in these years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The Conflict Pool rarely provides core funding to CSOs (as opposed to funding for specific projects). Core funding was provided to the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect in FYs 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 and to the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in FY 2012-13.

Conflict Pool

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total number of staff working through Conflict Pool funding was in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds: The Conflict Pool is managed jointly by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The principle remains that each Department contributes its own staff expertise to undertake work on the Pool. Being able to draw on this wide network of expertise, including DF1D advisors, Defence attachés and FCO political officers, is a key strength of the Conflict Pool. Our staff in more than 40 posts overseas, in the three Departments in London, in the Stabilisation Unit and in other Departments’ work on Pool activities. For most, this work constitutes a small proportion of their time. The Conflict Pool has a small central Secretariat staffed by the three Departments, consisting of six members of staff who work wholly or mostly on the Pool. All these positions are funded by individual Departments.
	The Conflict Pool funds a team of regional conflict advisers—10in financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14. In addition, in order to meet the Building Stability Overseas Strategy commitment to ‘introduce a stronger results focus in the Conflict Pool, and improve programme management’ the Conflict Pool does directly fund a number of programme delivery roles, mostly in posts overseas. Most are locally engaged project officers. There is a high level of devolution in the management of Conflict Pool resources to UK teams in over 40 countries. Obtaining accurate figures for all these years could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. However, in FY 2012-13 the number of staff working directly on Conflict Pool implementation and funded by the Pool was 40 (including the regional conflict advisors).

Cybercrime

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK is taking to progress international debate about cyber-security other than through participation in the UN Group of Government Experts.

Alistair Burt: Other than at the UN Group of Governmental Experts, the UK is a significant contributor to cyber security debates within the OSCE, the EU, NATO, and other UN bodies such as the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. This is in addition to bilateral discussions with allies with whom we share common concerns about cyber security, with other partners who can help shape the wider global debate, and with those countries with whom we have a developing relationship on cyber security issues. The UK is also developing a single National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) which will become the main channel for engaging other countries on technical cyber issues, and will provide a platform for further developing the international cyber security debate.
	The UK took the lead in setting up the series of international conferences on cyber space which began in London in 2011, and was followed by the Budapest Conference last year. We are working with the Government of the Republic of Korea who will host this year's conference. These events are unique in bringing together representatives from Governments, business, and civil society organisations to discuss practical ways in which we can improve partnerships to tackle issues of international security and cyber crime, while protecting and promoting the economic and social benefits of cyber space.

Egypt

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the current Egyptian administration regarding the very significant political changes which have taken place in Egypt.

Alistair Burt: In his statement of 3 July the Foreign Secretary said the UK did not support military interventions to settle disputes in democratic systems, and called on all sides to show restraint. He has been in close contact with the acting Foreign Minister and called on all parties in Egypt to work together towards early and fair elections.

European Council

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subject areas are now decided by majority voting within the European Council; and to what subject areas a veto can be applied within the European Council.

David Lidington: The European Council, consisting of the Heads of State and Government of the member states of the European Union, its President, and the President of the Commission, has no formal legislative power. It is charged under the Lisbon treaty with defining the general political direction and priorities of the European Union. Since the treaty of Rome was signed in 1957 the number of subject areas voted on by qualified majority voting in the European Council has increased. The number remains small, however, and the decisions which can be taken by qualified majority voting are for the most part procedural or appointment decisions. For example, the appointment of the President of the European Council is made through a qualified majority vote in the European Council, as is the appointment of double-hatted High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. A right of veto in the European Council, however, is retained in policy areas such as defence and most areas of common foreign and security policy, also in the case of proposed treaty amendments, and procedural matters such as the number of European Commissioners or the composition of the European Parliament.
	The Council of the European Union (“the Council”) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union, the other being the European Parliament. There are currently 10 different configurations of the Council, each dealing with a different policy area. In each composition, membership is made up of representatives of the Governments of the member states, usually a Minister, who is responsible for the area, with the chair being held by the member state holding the presidency, apart from the Foreign Affairs Council, which is chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Some of the subject areas decided by qualified majority voting within the Council are education, health, the environment, agriculture and fisheries, and equal opportunities. The Lisbon treaty, which entered into force on 1 December 2009, also extended qualified majority voting in the Council to a large number of policy areas including transport, energy, tourism, and sport, and also to certain procedural matters including amendments to the statute of the Court of Justice of the EU. Policy areas decided by unanimity in the Council include, but are not limited to, Council decisions relating to the common security and defence policy, decisions on application for EU membership by a European state and taxation provisions.

G8: County Fermanagh

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2013, Official Report, column 142W, on G8: County Fermanagh, when his Department first gave consideration to the sourcing of such gifts for the summit; how this process was undertaken; who made the final decision on what gifts were included; and when this decision was taken.

Mark Simmonds: The British Government worked in the months leading up to the G8 Summit to identify businesses and products that would showcase some of the best of UK design to a world audience. We worked with key partners including Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Craft Northern Ireland to identify products from Northern Irish designers and companies that would promote local talent. Due consideration was given to all offers of gifts and products submitted by individuals, but it was not possible to include all offers. The decision on which gifts to include was taken by the G8 Directorate.

Iran

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent consideration he has given to reopening the UK's embassy in Tehran.

Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on 17 June 2013, Official Report, column 626, about the conditions under which we would consider re-opening the embassy.

Mali

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department is providing to the government of Mali to assist in fighting separatist rebels in that country.

Mark Simmonds: In January 2013, the Malian transitional authorities asked for military assistance in fighting terrorist groups who were advancing on Bamako, in alliance with separatist Tuareg groups. In response, France launched Operation Serval, to which the UK provided logistical and surveillance support. This support has now ended, and the Malian authorities have now regained control of all major population centres.
	We continue to support wider international efforts to rebuild peace and stability in Mali. We are contributing 37 military personnel plus civilian human rights experts to the EU Training Mission for the Malian armed forces, and have seconded two staff officers to the UN Peacekeeping Operation, United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), which deployed on 1 July. The UK has also given £12 million in aid to Mali in 2013, supporting over 400,000 Malians with provision of food, medicine and support to refugees. We continue to encourage progress towards more inclusive governance in Mali including through the work of the National Commission on Dialogue and Reconciliation.

Nigeria

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department is providing to the government of Nigeria to assist in tackling terrorist threats in that country.

Alistair Burt: We are concerned about the campaign of violence carried out by terrorist groups in Nigeria. We are supporting the Government of Nigeria through the provision of UK assistance and expertise including work to improve stability and security, and to strengthen their ability to counter terrorism and promote the rule of law, while protecting human rights. We are working closely with international partners to ensure our collective response is coordinated and effective. For operational and security reasons we do not provide details of the projects.

Northcote House

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department used the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold a central record of training received by individual staff, or in which location they received this training. The responsibility for learning and development has been delegated to individual director generals or diplomatic posts overseas. We are therefore unable to answer the question for officials without incurring disproportionate costs.
	No Ministers have received training at Sunningdale.

Sierra Leone

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to assist the Government of Sierra Leone in tackling corruption.

Mark Simmonds: The UK has taken a number of steps to assist Sierra Leone in tackling corruption and our high commissioner in Freetown regularly raises the importance of transparency in contacts with the Government of Sierra Leone.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) is providing support to Sierra Leone's key integrity institutions including Audit Services Sierra Leone, the Anti-Corruption Commission and a Public Financial Management Reform programme, with the aim of strengthening government systems. DFID is also assisting with the set up of the National Minerals Agency to increase transparency and spend of natural resources, and working with the police and judiciary to improve governance.
	Through the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the UK Government is supporting initiatives such as the Parliamentary Partnership Programme. The programme is sharing best parliamentary practice and supporting the Government of Sierra Leone to modernise its governance structures.

Somalia

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the efficacy of European Union Training Mission Somalia.

Mark Simmonds: The European Union Training Mission (EUTM) Somalia underpins the strategic interests of the UK Government, including our support for effective Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) interventions and the security-related outcomes of the Somalia Conference in London on 7 May, specifically developing the Somali armed forces and the Somali security sector.
	I am pleased with the progress the EUTM Somalia is making in a unique and very challenging environment. It has been running for two years, mainly in Uganda, providing high-quality training for Somali forces with about 3,000 Somali troops trained so far. The UK, as one of the main supporters of the EU CSDP missions, fully supports its objectives, including ensuring that the mission has sufficient resources to achieve its mandate. In addition to central funding, the UK currently provides two UK military secondees to the EUTM Somalia and this should increase to five positions soon (including two civilians).
	The UK was among the EU member states advocating the extension of EUTM Somalia's mandate and for the mission to be relocated to Mogadishu. I am pleased therefore that the EUTM centre of operations is moving to Mogadishu. It will also increase the scale of its operations, emphasizing command and control, training Somali military trainers, and conducting specialist logistics and communications training. I look forward to further progress being made during this new phase of EUTM Somalia operations.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many answers by his Department to Parliamentary Questions involving tables of statistics fewer than four pages in length were (a) printed in full and (b) provided via a link to a website in the last year.

David Lidington: When answering parliamentary questions (PQ), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office follows guidance provided in the “Guide to Parliamentary Work” produced by the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons and further advice provided by the Leader of the House of Commons, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), and Mr Speaker.
	It is not possible to check through all answers provided in the last year without incurring disproportionate cost. However, in line with guidance, described by the Leader of the House on 12 February 2013, Official Report, column 649W, we aim to provide all information in the body of the PQ answer where this is possible or in a document to be placed in the Library of the House. If the information is available on-line we will additionally provide a weblink.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance his Department follows in determining whether statistics in answers to Parliamentary Questions are (a) provided in full, (b) provided via a link to a website and (c) deposited in the Library.

David Lidington: When answering parliamentary questions (PQ), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office follows guidance provided in the “Guide to Parliamentary Work” produced by the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons and further advice provided by the Leader of the House of Commons, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), and Mr Speaker.
	It is not possible to check through all answers provided in the last year without incurring disproportionate cost. However, in line with guidance, described by the Leader of the House on 12 February 2013, Official Report, column 649W, we aim to provide all information in the body of the PQ answer where this is possible or in a document to be placed in the Library of the House. If the information is available on-line we will additionally provide a weblink.

DEFENCE

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Philip Dunne: Expenditure on Ministry of Defence (MOD) contracts with Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), KPMG and Ernst & Young is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Expenditure (£ million) 
			 Financial year Deloitte PwC KPMG Ernst & Young 
			 2008-09 11.2 4.8 9.6 3.5 
			 2009-10 9.1 3.8 5.3 7.5 
			 2010-11 11.9 1.9 1.8 2.7 
		
	
	These figures include expenditure by MOD trading funds, but do not include payments which may have been made on behalf of other Government Departments, by the MOD executive non-departmental public bodies (which lie outside the MOD accounting boundary), locally by the Department, through third parties such as prime contractors or other Government Departments and in relation to collaborative projects where the payments are made through international procurement agencies or overseas governments. Payments made by Government Procurement Card are also not included.
	Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder, information on the contracts they award:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
	In addition, Departments publish details of spend in excess of £25,000.

Afghanistan

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what circumstances and for what reasons UK service personnel based at Camp Bastion have been instructed not to use air conditioning systems; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 11 July 2013
	As a result of a temporary disruption to some fuel supplies for ISAF bases across Afghanistan, a number of prudent measures were put in place at Camp Bastion to conserve existing fuel stocks. One of these measures involved the short term reduction in the use of non-essential air conditioning at the base; although air conditioning was permitted for at least a period of time each day.
	Currently, some of the restrictions have been eased and we keep the situation under constant review.
	Operations remain unaffected.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans that the general Purpose Digital Test and Diagnostic Facility will have a role to play in the upgrade programme and through life support of the Warrior upgrade.

Andrew Robathan: The demonstration phase for the Warrior Capability Sustainment programme is in its early stages and has yet to confirm the role for existing test and diagnostic equipment.

Conflict Pool

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding his Department allocated to the Conflict Pool in each year from 2010-11 to date; how much he estimates will be allocated in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence does not allocate any departmental funding to the Conflict Pool.

European Fighter Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the combat radius of the Typhoon aircraft configured for Quick Reaction Alert Mission is.

Andrew Robathan: I am withholding the information requested as its release would, or would be likely to prejudice the defence of the United Kingdom.

Grant Thornton

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008.

Philip Dunne: Since 2008, there has been nil contract expenditure with Grant Thornton by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and its trading funds.
	This does not include payments which may have been made on behalf of other Government Departments, by the MOD Executive non-departmental public bodies (which lie outside the MOD accounting boundary), locally by the Department, through third parties such as prime contractors or other Government Departments, and in relation to collaborative projects where the payments are made through international procurement agencies or overseas governments. Payments made by Government Procurement Card are also not included.
	Since January 2011, central Governments Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder, information on the contracts they award
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
	In addition, Departments publish details of spend in excess of £25,000.

Libya

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the first Libyan armed forces personnel will begin basic infantry training at Bassingbourn Barracks.

Andrew Robathan: Training will begin once planning has been finalised and the Libyan selection of recruits has occurred; we anticipate that this will be later in 2013.

Libya

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities Libyan armed forces personnel will visit in the UK as part of their training.

Andrew Robathan: The programme being designed for the training of up to 2,000 Libyan armed forces personnel involves all military training being based at Bassingbourn Barracks, Cambridgeshire.

Libya

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what vetting Libyan armed forces personnel will be subject to by (a) his Department and (b) the Libyan government before they arrive in the UK for training.

Andrew Robathan: Details of the training programme and vetting arrangements are still being developed in conjunction with the Libyan Government. The Ministry of Defence has been working closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office to ensure that security and immigration controls will be maintained on those who arrive to undertake training. Her Majesty's Government has asked the Libyan authorities to screen fully all trainees for medical, physical and behavioural suitability. Trainees who do not pass the vetting or immigration assurance process will not be allowed to travel to the UK.

Marchwood Military Port

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many movements of MOD vessels from the MOD Sea Mounting Centre Marchwood there were in each of the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: The numbers of departures from the Sea Mounting Centre Marchwood of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, and vessels chartered by the Ministry of Defence, are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Departures 
			  Number 
			 2012  
			 July 5 
			 August 3 
			 September 4 
			 October 6 
			 November 2 
			 December 6 
			   
			 2013  
			 January 3 
			 February 4 
		
	
	
		
			 March 2 
			 April 4 
			 May 5 
			 June 2 
			   
			 Total 46

Marchwood Military Port

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the sale of the MOD Sea Mounting Centre Marchwood to be completed.

Philip Dunne: As part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review of October 2010, the Ministry of Defence committed to sell the Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre during this spending review period; this remains the intention.

Marchwood Military Port

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the sale of the MOD Sea Mounting Centre Marchwood; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Dunne: The site is being prepared for sale, in association with Ministry of Defence's financial and legal advisors. The intention remains to complete the transaction in the current spending review period.

Marchwood Military Port

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has examined all options for the delivery of the MOD Sea Mounting Centre requirements, including the use of alternative sites that might free up port capacity at Marchwood in support of UK exports.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence will explore, through the sale process, options for maximising economic use of the Marchwood port while ensuring that the military requirements for sea mounting can continue to be met.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what sensors are onboard the Shadow R.1 aircraft.

Philip Dunne: I am withholding this information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Military Exercises

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assets and how many personnel took part in Exercise Eager Lion; and what the cost to the public purse was of this exercise.

Andrew Robathan: Around 120 personnel from 42 Commando Royal Marines deployed to Jordan with their personal equipment in support of Exercise Eager Lion 13. The final costs of the exercise are not yet available.

Northcote House

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department used the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: Following a review of learning and development across Government the National School of Government, which delivered training on the Sunningdale Park site, closed in March 2012. Data on which individuals may have used the site was not retained.

Project Gateway

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the bidding period for Project Gateway will end; when the contract for that project will be awarded; and what the annual cost to the public purse will be of that contract.

Philip Dunne: The bidding period for Project Gateway is planned to end in mid-November 2013, with contract award anticipated in mid-December 2013. Until contract negotiations have been completed, the annual cost of the contract will not be known.

Reorganisation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 241W, on reorganisation, how the new Operating Model will provide transparent processes and improved communications.

Philip Hammond: In parallel with successfully rolling-out in April 2013 the new delegated organisational structures recommended by Lord Levene, we have been reviewing the operation of the Ministry of Defence's corporate control framework and the processes that it prescribes to ensure they are as transparent and easy to use as possible. So far this has included simplified basic security guidance, new business processes for managing defence infrastructure, revised financial planning and performance management arrangements to support the new delegated operating model, and a programme of incremental simplification and improvement of our civilian HR policy, rules and guidance in line with the goals of Civil Service Reform. There will be more to do in this area as the operating model matures, particularly in terms of further streamlining the Department's decision making process around a single authoritative management information system.

Reserve Forces

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of progress on recruiting the required additional reservist capability; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Francois: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on the 3 July 2013, Official Report, columns 923-47.

Surveillance

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights have been conducted under the open skies treaty since 2002; what aircraft were used in each case; and which countries were surveyed.

Andrew Robathan: Since 2002, the UK has undertaken a total of 51 open skies missions. 38 were quota missions to the following countries: Ukraine (five); Georgia (seven) and Russia (26). 13 missions were training missions to the following nations: Bulgaria; Yugoslavia; Estonia; Slovenia (three); Sweden (three); USA; Latvia, Lithuania and the Benelux.
	There has been a variety of aircraft used. The UK used its own aircraft, an Andover, until 2008. Since then the aircraft used include a Swedish Saab 340, a Romanian and a Ukrainian An30 and the US OS-135.

Surveillance

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost of flights conducted under the open skies treaty has been in each of the last 13 years.

Andrew Robathan: The total cost of flights conducted under the open skies treaty in each of the last 13 years cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	However, the planning figure used for this financial year is £50,000 per operational mission, and approximately £25,000 for training missions with an approximate annual cost of £175,000.

Unmanned Air Vehicles: Guided Weapons

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether his Department has commissioned testing into the feasibility of deploying Brimstone missiles from unmanned aerial vehicles; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assistance his Department has provided to MBDA Systems in the development of a prototype Brimstone missile suitable for use on a US unmanned aerial vehicle platform.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD), with MBDA support, is currently planning to conduct trials into the feasibility of integrating Brimstone onto remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) in the autumn of 2013. The MOD is not developing a prototype Brimstone missile for use on a US RPAS. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 May 2013, Official Report, column 222W, to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson).

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Rape: Victim Support Schemes

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2013, Official Report, columns 243-4W, on rape: victims support schemes, how the £1,085,000 funding of rape crisis centres was disbursed.

Helen Grant: In 2010-11 the Government Equalities Office contributed £1,085,000 to the Combined Fund (Sexual Violence) total of £2,242,381. Funds were disbursed by the Ministry of Justice to the following organisations:
	
		
			 Victims Fund/Combined Fund(1) (Sexual Violence) 2010-11 
			  £ 
			 Sexual and Domestic Abuse and Rape Advice Centre (SARAC) 50,000 
			 South Cumbria Rape and Abuse Service 37,025 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (Cheshire and Merseyside) 41,269 
			 Womankind, Bristol Women's Therapy Centre 43,198 
			 SALT South West 16,295 
			 Migrant Helpline 49,880 
			 Twelves Company 50,000 
			 New Pathways 50,000 
			 Survivors UK 50,000 
			 Cornwall Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre) 46,782 
			 CIS'ters (Childhood Incest Survivors) 50,000 
			 RASASC Croydon 43,427 
			 Incest and Sexual Abuse Survivors (ISAS) 35,985 
			 Survivors' Network 49,974 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre (Darlington and County Durham) 39,654 
			 Tyneside Rape Crisis Centre 23,864 
			 Eva Women's Aid 50,000 
			 Rape Crisis (Wycombe, Chiltern and South Buckinghamshire) 49,950 
			 Women's Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Cornwall) 50,000 
			 Safeline 20,000 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre, RASASC Guildford 50,000 
			 Northamptonshire Rape and incest Crisis Centre 50,000 
			 Southampton Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service 49,991 
			 One In Four (UK) 49,990 
			 Grimsby and Scunthorpe Rape Crisis 42,210 
			 POW Nottingham 50,000 
			 Rape and Sexual Violence Project (RSVP) 50,000 
			 Rotherham Women's Counselling service 50,000 
			 Manchester Rape Crisis 11,940 
			 Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre 35,847 
			 Respond 50,000 
			 Doncaster Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service 49,863 
			 Sheffield Women's Counselling and Therapy Service 20,082 
			 Safe and Sound Derby 47,543 
			 Gloucester Rape Crisis Centre (GRCC) 33,980 
			 Crisis Point 50,000 
			 Women's Support Network and Jigsaw 30,766 
			 Worcester Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre 50,000 
			 Spires 49,911 
			 Rugby RoSA 50,000 
			 Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre 47,508 
			 Rape Crisis England and Wales 50,000 
			 The Survivors Trust 50,000 
			 Bradford Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Survivors Service (BRC&SASS) 50,000 
			 Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC) 50,000 
			 Sexual Abuse and Incest Line (SAIL) 19,528 
			 Kairos Women Working Together (Kairos WTT) 49,117 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse (RASA) Centre Merseyside (Sefton, Liverpool, Wirral, South Wirral) 50,000 
			 One25 50,000 
			 Karma Nirvana 37,500 
			 Galop 39,302 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service (Winchester) 30,000 
			 Total 2,242,381

WORK AND PENSIONS

Accountancy

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on contracts with (a) Deloitte, (b) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (c) KPMG and (d) Ernst and Young in each year since 2008.

Mark Hoban: Spend with each supplier for all years from 2007-08 is as follows:
	
		
			 £ 
			  Deloitte MCS PricewaterhouseCoopers KPMG Ernst & Young 
			 2007-08 20,158,618 8,086,718 226,255 50,476 
			 2008-09 21,416,478 8,002,818 417,486 54,214 
			 2009-10 16,484,394 10,098,152 862,372 305,564 
			 2010-11 10,079,244 5,000,923 2,906,556 21,726 
			 2011-12 1,426,089 217,486 1,163,261 583 
			 2012-13 1,081,119 538,331 2,306,506 150,743 
			 2013-14 to June 492,788 235,514 688,964 0 
			 Notes: 1. It is not possible to match actual spend with individual contracts. 2. All figures exclusive of recoverable VAT. 
		
	
	Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the contracts they award:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
	In addition, Departments publish details of spend in excess of £25,000.

Children: Disability

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of children in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland who are disabled.

Daniel Poulter: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Health.
	In January 2012, some 226,125 pupils (2.8%) across all schools in England had statements of special educational needs.
	A table setting out information on the number of pupils attending primary, state-funded secondary, and special schools by type of need has been placed in the Library. This information can also be found in the publication “Special Educational Needs in England, January 2012” available on the Government website at:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-educational-needs-in-england-january-2012
	The Department for Work and Pensions Family Resources Survey for 2011/12 estimates that approximately 6% of children in the United Kingdom (0.8 million) are disabled.
	Detailed information on the position in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for those administrations.

Children: Disability

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children are registered on disabled children's registers held by local authorities.

Edward Timpson: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Education.
	Local authorities are required to maintain a register of disabled children. The Government do not hold the information from these registers centrally.
	The Department for Education does collect data on pupils who have been assessed as having a special educational need. Tables setting out the number of pupils attending primary, state-funded secondary, and special schools, broken down by type of special educational need, can be found in the publication 'Special Educational Needs in England, January 2012', available on the Government's website.(1)
	(1) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-educational -needs-in-england-january-2012

Employment Schemes: Rhyl

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the Rhyl City Strategy's Fit for Work Service pilot.

Mark Hoban: An evaluation of the first year of the Fit for Work Service pilots was published in March 2012. It is available on GOV.UK at:
	www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/139146/rrep792.pdf.pdf
	We plan to publish a final evaluation report later this year.

Food Banks

Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will take steps to record the number of people referred to food banks by Jobcentre Plus.

Mark Hoban: I refer to the reply given to the hon. Member for Hampstead and Kilburn (Glenda Jackson) on 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1266W.

Food Banks

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many food bank food vouchers have been handed out by benefit advisers in each year since 2010; and if he will list the 20 job centres which have handed out the most food bank food vouchers;
	(2)  how many food bank vouchers have been handed out in each year since 2010, by jobcentre.

Mark Hoban: Jobcentre Plus signpost people to food banks but does not keep records on number of referrals.

Food Banks

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written answer of 9 July 2013, Official Report, column 205W, on food banks, for what reason job centres refer clients to food banks.

Mark Hoban: Statistics are not currently collected on the number of referrals to food banks or the reasons.

Grant Thornton

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008.

Mark Hoban: Spend for Grant Thornton for all years from 2007-08 is as follows:
	
		
			  Expenditure (£) 
			 2007-08 109,073 
			 2008-09 86,622 
			 2009-10 5,000 
			 2010-11 6,475 
			 2011-12 79,996 
			 2012-13 11,794 
			 2013-14 to June 4,246 
			 Notes: 1. It is not possible to match actual spend with individual contracts. 2. All figures exclusive of recoverable VAT. 
		
	
	Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the contracts they award:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
	In addition, Departments publish details of spend in excess of £25,000.

Jobcentre Plus: Northamptonshire

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether it is his policy to maintain a Jobcentre Plus in both Rushden and Wellingborough; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: DWP has a full-time Jobcentre presence in both Rushden and Wellingborough town centres. DWP has no current plans to remove its Jobcentre presence. The Department will continue to review its service delivery plans and its estates in the normal course of business; and make sure that they work with partners to explore every opportunity which might be presented to reduce estate costs whilst maintaining a high standard of service.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what impact assessment he has carried out on the proposal for a jobseeker's allowance seven-day waiting rule; whether any such impact assessment has studied the effect of the policy on (a) financial hardship for claimants and (b) the number of claimants taking up short term contracts of (i) under and (ii) over 12 weeks; by what means people who are unemployed and have no other source of income are expected to meet their subsistence needs during the proposed seven-day waiting period; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: No such assessments have been made. The increase of waiting days to seven will have a single effect at the start of a person's entitlement when final wages will often be available.
	People who leave benefit for less than 12 weeks will not be affected by the change. People in financial need before their first benefit payment may be eligible for an advance of benefit.

Northcote House

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department used the facilities at Northcote House, Sunningdale Park, Berkshire in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The information required on numbers attending Sunningdale Park is not held by DWP.
	Following a review of learning and development across Government, the National School of Government, which delivered training on the Sunningdale Park site, closed in March 2012. Data on which individuals may have used the site were not retained.

Remploy: Wythenshawe

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people formerly employed at Remploy in Wythenshawe have found alternative employment since the factory closed.

Esther McVey: Of the 19 former Remploy employees from the Wythenshawe factory, three have secured and remain in full-time employment. Of the rest, four are on sabbatical, one has retired, and 11 are claiming ESA/JSA (three of those 11 are on Work Choice undertaking training and other activities aimed at moving them closer to employment).

Social Security Benefits

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of benefits in 2012 suffered from a chronic pain condition.

Mark Hoban: The DWP does not hold information regarding how many people in receipt of benefits in 2012 suffer specifically from a chronic pain condition. This is because for benefits that are not linked to health conditions, such as jobseeker’s allowance, we would not hold records pertaining to specific conditions that claimants may have in a manner that would allow us to accurately capture the statistics; we record the underlying health condition for employment support allowance, (or those remaining on income benefit), those on personal independence payments, (or remaining on disability living allowance), or those on attendance allowance. However chronic pain may be associated with a wide range of medical conditions and we do not record chronic pain as a discrete entry.
	The term chronic pain is a general one that refers to persistent pain lasting anywhere from 3-6 months. Therefore chronic pain can be a result of a large number of diagnoses that cause pain. The medical condition of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants and employment support allowance is recorded using a grouped version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD10), and the only codes that specifically indicate chronic pain are those for 'Chronic intractable pain' and 'Other chronic pain', both of which come under the general heading of 'Pain not elsewhere classified'.
	Figures for 'Pain not elsewhere classified' are provided in the following table for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance and employment support allowance. However, this is unlikely to be an accurate reflection of those individuals with chronic pain.
	
		
			 Number of claimants by medical diagnosis in Great Britain and abroad: November 2012 
			  All claimants Other diagnoses Pain, not elsewhere classified 
			 Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance 1,086,820 1,057,470 29,340 
			 Employment support allowance 1,447,980 1,409,930 38,040 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Under the employment support allowance (ESA) regime, claimants have to undergo the work capability assessment. From April 2011 incapacity benefit (IB) recipients also began to undertake this assessment. The medical condition recorded on the claim form does not itself confer entitlement to IB or ESA. So, for example, a decision on entitlement for a customer claiming ESA on the basis of alcoholism would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities related to physical and mental function, assessed by the personal/work capability assessment. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate 100% WPLS.

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefits sanctions are currently in force; and how many such sanctions have been in force in each of the last five years.

Mark Hoban: Statistics on the number of benefit sanctions currently in force is not readily available and to provide them would incur disproportionate cost.
	Statistics on the number of jobseekers allowance (JSA) sanction referrals by month and whether the decision was adverse, up to 21 October 2012 (the last date of the old regulations), can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/series/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool
	Guidance for users is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/203439/tab-tool-guidance.pdf
	The statistics on JSA sanctions applied from 22 October 2012 will be published in due course. A proposed publication date will be announced in advance via
	www.gov.uk
	and
	http://www.statsusernet.org.uk/Home/
	in the “Welfare and Benefits” community.
	Statistics on the number of income support lone parents (ISLP) sanctions and whether the decision was adverse, up to 31 December 2012 can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/203517/islpr-may13.pdf
	Statistics on the number of employment and support allowance (ESA) sanction referrals is not readily available and to provide them would incur disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time between a claim for (a) income support, (b) jobseeker's allowance, (c) employment and support allowance and (d) pension credit and a decision notice was of each nationality of claimant in each of the last 12 quarters for which records are available.

Mark Hoban: The information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who will be in receipt of universal credit by 30 April 2014.

Mark Hoban: We remain committed to delivering universal credit by 2017. Between October 2013 and March 2014 six more Jobcentres will be taking new claims for universal credit. This means we will be testing UC in each region across the country. This will significantly expand our ability to test and learn as we progressively roll out universal credit. The exact number of claims will depend on local economic conditions.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether someone in receipt of universal credit who moves into employment before April 2014 with a small firm not yet operating Real Time Information for PAYE would continue if eligible to receive universal credit; and how their entitlement would be established.

Mark Hoban: A universal credit claimant who moves into employment will continue to receive universal credit regardless of whether their employer is reporting PAYE in real time or not. DWP processes will require such a claimant to self-report their earnings at the appropriate time.

Universal Credit: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an estimate of the likely number of households in Ashfield constituency in the poverty bracket following the implementation of universal credit.

Mark Hoban: Measuring the poverty bracket using income levels is not available by parliamentary constituency as sample sizes are too small to yield reliable results.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has reviewed or plans to review the performance targets for Year 3 non-intervention in the Work programme for (a) jobseeker's allowance 18 to 24, (b) jobseeker's allowance 25 and over and (c) employment and support allowance flow that were set out in the invitation to tender.

Mark Hoban: Work programme performance targets have not been reviewed and there are no current plans to review them.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many answers to parliamentary questions involving tables of statistics fewer than four pages in length were (a) printed in full and (b) provided via a weblink to a website in the last year.

Mark Hoban: The information is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department follows in determining whether, when answers to parliamentary questions which include statistics, those statistics are (a) provided in full, (b) provided via a weblink to a website and (c) placed in the Library.

Mark Hoban: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Leader of the House of Commons, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson) on 12 February 2013, Official Report, column 649W.

HEALTH

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the availability of selective dorsal rhizotomy treatments for young patients.

Daniel Poulter: Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) falls within the direct commissioning responsibilities of NHS England.
	In April 2013, NHS England issued a clinical commissioning policy statement on selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR). The document states that the procedure is not routinely commissioned, but may become available on a limited basis under the “commissioning through evaluation” approach.

Whistleblowers

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to protect whistleblowers in the NHS.

Daniel Poulter: We have improved the rights of whistleblowers by:
	introducing a contractual right for staff to raise concerns;
	issuing guidance on good practice policies;
	strengthening the NHS constitution;
	funding a whistleblowing helpline; and
	amending legislation to secure protections for all staff in the Public Interest Disclosure Act.

Health and Social Care

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage integration of health and social care services.

Daniel Poulter: The £3.8 billion pooled health and care fund we recently announced as part of the spending review, alongside the establishment of integration pioneers to share and promote innovation and best practice, will support localities to improve outcomes and deliver better care and support in an integrated way.

Health Tourism

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to tackle health tourism and ensure a fair system of contribution to the costs of the NHS.

Jeremy Hunt: On 3 July, my Department and the Home Office launched co-ordinated consultations on a range of proposals on a new charging system for visitors and migrants in which everyone makes a fair contribution to healthcare.
	These include making temporary migrants from outside of the EEA contribute to the cost of their healthcare, and introducing easier and more practical ways for the NHS to identify and charge those not entitled to free healthcare.

NHS: Redundancy Payments

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS has spent on redundancy payments since June 2010.

Daniel Poulter: The Department does not collect this information in the format requested. However, the national health service has spent £268.9 million on compulsory redundancy payments between April 2010 and March 2012, the latest date for which figures are available. This needs to be set alongside the £5.5 billion net savings on administration and bureaucracy during this Parliament as a result of our NHS reforms to cut bureaucracy in the NHS, which will also deliver £1.5 billion every year after 2015.

Whittington Hospital

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his plans are for future service provision by the Whittington Hospital.

Anna Soubry: This is a matter for the local national health service, in particular the Whittington Health NHS Trust. We understand that the trust announced its revised clinical strategy, under the heading “Transforming Healthcare for Tomorrow”, on 9 July 2013.

Ambulance Services

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contingency plans he has in place to ensure safe and appropriate delivery of ambulance services if the new arrangements fail to meet delivery standards.

Anna Soubry: Commissioners are responsible for the routine performance monitoring and contractual management of providers, to ensure safe and appropriate delivery of ambulance services.
	In the event of persistent underperformance, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority have the power to intervene to address delivery issues.

Cancer

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many times the cancer guarantee has been missed by hospital trusts in the last three years;
	(2)  how many times the cancer guarantee has been missed by Barts Health NHS Trust in the last three years;
	(3)  how many times the cancer guarantee has been missed by hospital trusts in London in the last three years;
	(4)  what the top 20 (a) best and (b) worst performing hospitals in meeting the two week cancer guarantee are;
	(5)  if he will publish a league table of hospital trusts in London according to their performance in meeting the two-week cancer guarantee;
	(6)  at what point hospital trusts begin counting the length of time a patient with cancer waits to see a specialist for the purposes of the two-week cancer guarantee.

Anna Soubry: The answer to these parliamentary questions reflects performance against the operational standard that 93% of patients should be seen by a specialist within two weeks of an urgent general practitioner (GP) referral for suspected cancer, this is a right under the NHS Constitution. Performance against this standard is published on a quarterly basis.
	Table 1 shows how many times the quarterly cancer two week wait standard was not achieved by all NHS and NHS foundation trusts in England, in London and by Barts Health NHS Trust in the last three years.
	Table 2 shows the 111 organisations that have achieved the operational standard in every quarter in the last three years.
	Table 3 shows the 18 organisations that did not achieve the quarterly operational standard two or more times in the last three years.
	The standard was not achieved in one quarter by the remaining organisations.
	Table 4 sets out for each NHS trust and NHS foundation trust in London the number of times they did not achieve the quarterly two week cancer standard in the last three years.
	Hospitals begin counting the length of time a patient with cancer waits to see a specialist for the purposes of the operational standard from the point of urgent referral by a GP.
	
		
			 Table 1: All cancer two week wait, number of times the quarterly operational standard of 93% was not achieved in the last three years 2010-11 to 2012-13 
			  Number 
			 Barts Health NHS Trust 0 
			 Barts And The London NHS Trust 0 
			 London NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts 14 
			 All NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts in England 83 
			 Notes: 1. Trusts that treated fewer than 60 patients during the period have been excluded from the analysis 2. Barts Health NHS Trust was formed on 1 April 2012 by merging Barts and the London NHS Trust, Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust and Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: All cancer two week wait, NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts which consistently achieved the quarterlyoperational standard of 93% in the last three years (2010-11 to 2012-13) 
			 Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust 
			 United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Luton And Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Peterborough And Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Norfolk And Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 East And North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 
			 Barts Health NHS Trust 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 
			 The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Barking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Guv's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Barts And The London NHS Trust 
			 The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust 
			 The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 
			 North Tees And Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 St Helens And Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Liverpool Heart And Chest NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust 
			 The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust 
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust 
			 Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 University Hospital Of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 Bolton NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Wrightington, Wigan And Leigh NHS Foundation Trust 
			 University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Stockport NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Warrington And Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust 
		
	
	
		
			 Heatherwood And Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Medway NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Ashford And St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 
			 Brighton And Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust 
			 South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Taunton And Somerset NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust 
			 Poole Hospital NHS Foundation trust 
			 The Royal Bournemouth And Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust 
			 North Bristol NHS Trust 
			 Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 University Hospitals Coventry And Warwickshire NHS Trust 
			 The Robert Jones And Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust 
			 The Dudley Group Of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Heart Of England NHS Foundation Trust 
			 The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Sandwell And West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Scarborough And North East Yorkshire Health Care NHS Trust 
			 Harrogate And District NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Airedale.NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Doncaster And Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Hull And East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Calderdale And Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Notes: 1. Trusts that treated fewer than 60 patients during the period have been excluded from the analysis. 2. Barts Health NHS Trust was formed on 1 April 2012 by merging Barts and the London NHS Trust, Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust and Newham University Hospital NHS Trust. 3. Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust merged into Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 1 April 2012. 4. Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust merged into Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust 1 September 2011. 5. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust changed its name following a merger with Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 9 January 2012. 6. Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Health Care NHS Trust merged into York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 1 July 2012 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: All cancer two week waits, NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts which did not achieve the quarterly operational standard of 93% two or more times in the last three years (2010-11 to 2012-13) 
			  Number of times the cancer wait operational standard was missed 
			 The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 5 
			 Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 5 
			 The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust 4 
			 East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 4 
			 Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust 4 
			 Southport And Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust 3 
			 Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust 3 
			 Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust 3 
			 Wye Valley NHS Trust 3 
			 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 2 
			 Basildon And Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 2 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 2 
			 South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 2 
			 Royal Liverpool And Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust 2 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 2 
			 Dartford And Gravesham NHS Trust 2 
			 Surrey And Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 2 
			 Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust 2 
			 Notes: 1. Trusts that treated fewer than 60 patients during the period have been excluded from the analysis. 2. Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust merged into Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust 1 September 2011. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 4: All cancer two week wait, number of times the quarterly operational standard of 93% was not achieved in London NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts for the last three years (2010-11 to 2012-13) 
			  Number 
			 The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 5 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 2 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 1 
			 Lewisham Healthcare NHS Trust 1 
			 Croydon Health Services NHS Trust 1 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 1 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 1 
			 Barnet And Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 1 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 1 
			 Barts Health NHS Trust 0 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 0 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 0 
			 The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 0 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 0 
			 Barking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust 0 
			 West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 0 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 0 
			 Guy's And St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 0 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 0 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 
		
	
	
		
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 0 
			 Barts And The London NHS Trust 0 
			 The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust 0 
			 Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 
			 Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 0 
			 Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 0 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust 0 
			 London NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts 14 
			 Notes: 1. Trusts that treated fewer than 60 patients during the period have been excluded from the analysis. 2. Barts Health NHS Trust was formed on 1 April 2012 by merging Barts and the London NHS Trust, Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust and Newham University Hospital NHS Trust.

Drugs: Poisoning

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women have been admitted to hospital for drug poisoning in each of the last six years.

Anna Soubry: The information requested has been placed in the Library. It provides a count of finished admission episodes for females with a primary diagnosis of poisoning by drugs (ICD10 T36 - T50 shown separately at 4 character level) for 2006-07 to 2010-11.
	It should be noted that this is not a count of patients as the same patient may have been admitted more than once in a year.

Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department (a) in total and (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

Daniel Poulter: The number of staff directly involved in promoting equality and diversity over the last three years for which figures are available are in the following table.
	Salary costs are not available for these staff as these are not held centrally. However, staff numbers employed in these teams have decreased over the period and therefore salary costs have also decreased.
	All officials across the Department are expected to consider the equality impacts of their policies and decisions as part of their mainstream work.
	
		
			 Posts Number (full-time equivalents) 
			 2010-11  
			 National Director for Equality and Human Rights 1 
			 Full- time equivalent staff in the NHS Equality Team 10.5 
			 Full-time equivalent staff in the HR Diversity Team 2.5 
			 Full-time equivalent staff in the Equality and Inclusion Team 7 
			 Total 21 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12  
			 National Director for Equality and Human Rights 1 
			 Full- time equivalent staff in the NHS Equality Team 7.5 
			 Full-time equivalent HR staff in the Diversity Team 2.5 
			 Full-time equivalent staff in the Equality and Inclusion Team 6 
			 Total 17 
			   
			 2012-13  
			 Full-time equivalent HR Diversity Team 2 
			 Full-time equivalent staff in the Equality and Inclusion Team 6 
			 Total 8

General Practitioners

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what Health Education England's role is in ensuring GPs are sufficiently trained to correctly diagnose and manage skin conditions. [R]

Daniel Poulter: The Government has mandated Health Education England (HEE) to provide national leadership on education, training and workforce development in the national health service. This mandate includes a commitment that HEE will ensure that general practitioner (GP) training produces GPs with the required competencies to practise in the new NHS. The content and standard of medical training is ultimately the responsibility of the General Medical Council. However, HEE will work with stakeholders to influence training curricula as appropriate.

General Practitioners

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress there has been on the future accreditation of GPs with an interest in dermatology by the Royal College of General Practitioners; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Daniel Poulter: The current framework for the accreditation and re-accreditation of general practitioners with a special interest remains under review by NHS England. This work is being led by Dr Mike Bewick, one of NHS England's two deputy national medical directors. Decisions on future arrangements will be confirmed in due course.

Government Procurement Card

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on his Department's procurement cards since May 2010.

Daniel Poulter: The Department's expenditure using Government Procurement Cards (GPC) with available data is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year GPC spend (£) 
			 2009-10 April 2009 to March 2010 3,829,445.69 
			 2010-11 May 2010 to March 2011 2,102,095.15 
			 2011-12 April 2011 to March 2012 1,777,781.51 
			 2012-13 April 2012 to March 2013 1,350,022.40 
		
	
	The most recent year of expenditure (2012-13) shows that annual spending on the GPC is £2,479,423.29 less than under the last year of the previous Government.

Health Services: Families

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specialist health support the Government provides for young families.

Anna Soubry: The Government is committed to supporting young families to give their children the best start in life.
	We are increasing the number of health visitors by 4,200 and Family Nurse Partnership places to 16,000, by 2015. Children and young people with special educational needs will receive a joined up Education, Health and Care plan—subject to passage of the Children and Families Bill.

Heart Diseases: Children

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the Children's Heart Federation will be involved in the new congenital cardiac review;
	(2)  whether meetings of his Department's review of congenital cardiac services will be open to the public, properly minuted and advertised in advance;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to ensure that advisers and decision-makers involved with the decision-making process on the congenital cardiac review are independent of vested interests.

Anna Soubry: NHS England, as the body responsible for commissioning specialised congenital heart services, is responsible for taking forward the new national review of these services.
	We are advised by NHS England that it will work closely with all interested national and local stakeholders and charities including patients and the public, to develop, test and revise a proposition and will undertake work to identify a preferred approach to implementation.
	NHS England will be transparent about its planned discussions in order to ensure all stakeholders have the chance to contribute, and to help mitigate any risk of undue weight being given to any particular local or national views.

Hepatitis

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many known hepatitis C victims were recorded in each of the last five years in the UK.

Anna Soubry: The annual number of individuals in England(1), Scotland(2 )and Wales(1) hospitalised with hepatitis C virus (HCV) related end stage liver disease (ESLD) or HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for which data is available is shown as follows.
	
		
			  Number hospitalised 
			 2006 1,259 
			 2007 1,406 
		
	
	
		
			 2008 1,659 
			 2009 1,783 
			 2010 1,979 
		
	
	Data for 2011 will be published later this month.
	Data for Northern Ireland will be published later this month.
	ESLD is defined by codes or text entries for ascites, bleeding oesophageal varices, hepato-renal syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy or hepatic failure.
	(1) Refers to individuals in England and Wales hospitalised with HCV related ESLD or HCV related HCC.
	(2) Refers to individuals in Scotland diagnosed with hepatitis C and admitted to hospital for the first time with either ESLD or HCC.
	Source:
	Hepatitis C in the UK, Annual Report 2012
	www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1317135237627

Hepatitis

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many known hepatitis C victims have died in each of the last five years in the UK.

Anna Soubry: The following table shows deaths from end stage liver disease(1) or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in those with hepatitis C mentioned on the death certificate in the United Kingdom: 2006-10.
	
		
			  Number of deaths 
			 2006 223 
			 2007 269 
			 2008 278 
			 2009 313 
			 2010 323 
		
	
	(1 )Defined by codes or text entries for ascites, bleeding oesophageal varices, hepato-renal syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy or hepatic failure.
	Source:
	Hepatitis C in the UK, Annual Report 2012
	www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1317135237627

Hepatitis

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much financial support has been paid to hepatitis C victims in each of the last two years.

Anna Soubry: The following table shows the actual amounts paid by the Caxton Foundation and Skipton Fund Ltd in each of 2011-12 and 2012-13 to individuals infected with hepatitis C through treatment in England with contaminated blood or blood products supplied by the national health service, or their families.
	
		
			 £ 
			  2011-12 2012-13 
			 Caxton Foundation (1)197,560 657,090 
			 Skipton Fund Ltd 42,877,038 14,248,158 
			 (1 )Caxton Foundation only began operating in October 2011, so amounts for 2011-12 are for part of the year.

Human Papillomavirus

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many doses of Gardasil were administered as the sole HPV vaccine in the school immunisation programme between August 2012 and June 2013;
	(2)  how many doses of Gardisil have been administered in the UK since 2006.

Anna Soubry: Gardasil replaced Cervarix vaccine in September 2012 for use in the National Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination Programmes 2012-13. It is estimated that 730,000 doses of Gardasil vaccine have been administered in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as part of the national HPV immunisation programme since September 2012. The requested information for Scotland is not currently available. Statistics on the HPV Immunisation programme in Scotland for the 2012-13 academic year are planned for publication on 24 September 2013.
	Gardasil doses administered prior to September 2012 would have been offered privately and outside the national coverage programme—there are no data on how many doses were given this way.

Infant Mortality: Males

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will commission research into the causes of higher rates of unexplained infant deaths in boys.

Daniel Poulter: The Department has no plans to commission specific research on this topic.
	The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funding a range of research on sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI). This includes ongoing work at the NIHR biomedical research centre at Great Ormond Street hospital and University College London Institute of Child Health, and support for the West Midlands SUDI Project. This project is exploring the impact and outcomes of the joint-agency investigation undertaken following SUDI, including the family's experience, recovery and possible changes in child care practice.

Invalid Vehicles: Children

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of children who are on an NHS waiting list for a wheelchair or other mobility equipment.

Daniel Poulter: Data on waiting times for wheelchairs are not collected centrally.
	We are advised by NHS England that the commissioning of paediatric wheelchairs is a matter for local wheelchair services.
	In “Healthcare for disabled children and young people” published in 2012, the Care Quality Commission reported waits for children's wheelchairs recorded between 1 April 2010 and 30 September 2010 and found the national average wait was nine weeks for manual, and 12 weeks for powered wheelchairs.

Maternity Services

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to support maternity wards facing closure.

Daniel Poulter: Health and Wellbeing Boards determine local priorities and providing oversight on their delivery and supporting the configuration of maternity services to ensure that every woman has high quality maternity care.
	The Government is committed to improving choice of place of birth, continuity of care and women's experience of care through an increased number of midwives working in the national health service by almost 1,400 since 2010, and a record 5,000 more in training.
	Health and Wellbeing Boards create a close partnership between the NHS clinical commissioning groups and local authorities and bring a new local accountability to assessing health and care needs.

Ministers' Private Offices

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department's ministerial private offices have spent on mobile telephones since May 2010.

Daniel Poulter: The Department is unable to provide expenditure figures for mobile phone usage by ministerial private offices since May 2010 as we do not maintain a central record of individual bills and details of staff with mobile phones are not held broken down by business unit.

Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department received expressing concerns regarding University Hospitals Morecambe Bay prior to May 2010.

Daniel Poulter: Records are available from August 2005. A search of the Department's ministerial correspondence database has identified 90 items of correspondence expressing concerns about University Hospitals Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust received before 1 May 2010. This is a minimum figure which represents correspondence received by the Department's ministerial correspondence unit. The following table shows the 90 items of correspondence split by year due for answer.
	
		
			 Year due Items of correspondence 
			 2005 2 
			 2006 56 
			 2007 11 
			 2008 10 
			 2009 10 
			 2010 1

Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department made to the Care Quality Commission regarding University Hospitals Morecambe Bay prior to May 2010.

Daniel Poulter: As part of its application process for foundation status for University Hospital Morecambe Bay, in May 2009, the Department routinely asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for its quality assessment of the trust. The Department's records do not show any other representations made to the CQC.

NHS: Foreign Workers

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many temporary non-EEA migrants are currently employed by NHS organisations in London.

Daniel Poulter: This information requested is not centrally held.
	Workforce Census information held by the Health and Social Care information Centre, does not capture data on migration status.

Prescription Drugs

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the public purse of medicine use reviews has been since 2010.

Norman Lamb: The cost of medicine use reviews provided by community pharmacy contractors, in England, was £54.6 million in 2010, £66.7 million in 2011 and £74.6 million in 2012.
	The information is sourced from Pharmaceutical Services Cash Monitoring, NHS Business Services Authority.

Public Health England

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he took to observe the transparency and political neutrality mandated by the code of practice for ministerial appointments to public bodies when shortlisting for the Public Health England advisory board; and what steps he took to ensure a diverse and representative group for the final short-list of appointments.

Anna Soubry: The Secretary of State for Health has appointed the chair and four non-executive members to Public Health England's Advisory Board. They each bring to this role a great range of experience.
	The recruitment campaigns to Public Health England's Advisory Board were managed in a way that complied with the principles of the Commissioner for Public Appointment's Code of Practice—they were open, transparent and appointments were made on merit. Political activity in itself is no bar to appointment.
	We will shortly be advertising for further candidates to enhance the expertise available to Public Health England's Advisory Board and recognise the need to encourage applications from people from all walks of life, including from groups traditionally underrepresented at board level.

Respite Care: Northamptonshire

Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the effectiveness of the consultation process used by the Nene Commissioning Group to consult on re-provision of respite care and health checks for people with neuro-degenerative conditions and community podiatry services in Northamptonshire; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The provision of local health services is a matter for the local national health service. However, where NHS organisations put forward proposals for service change we would expect them to meet strengthened criteria to demonstrate:
	support from general practitioner commissioners;
	public and patient engagement;
	clinical evidence base underpinning proposals; and
	patient choice.

Staff: Birmingham

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many fully-trained paediatric nurses were employed by the NHS to serve Birmingham in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013 to date;
	(2)  how many fully-trained paramedics were employed by the NHS to serve Birmingham in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013 to date.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested is provided in the following tables:
	
		
			 National health service hospital and community health services: Qualified nursing staff in the paediatrics area of work in each specified organisation as at 30 September 2010-12 and 31 March 2013 
			 Full-time equivalent 
			  2010 2011 2012 March 2013 
			 Total specified organisations 1,062 1,108 1,047 1,121 
			      
			 Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 958 1,014 959 1,032 
			 Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust — 28 25 26 
			 Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust — — 1 — 
			 Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust 74 66 61 62 
			 South Birmingham Primary care Trust 30 — 1 1 
			 '—' = Zero. Notes: 1. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. As a consequence of Transforming Community Services, the former provider arm of some former primary care trusts may have transferred into local acute and community trusts. 3. 2010-12 figures are from the annual Non-Medical Workforce Census. March 2013 figures are from the Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics. Sources: 1. Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census. 2. Health and Social Care Information Centre Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics. 
		
	
	
		
			 National health service hospital and community health services: Ambulance paramedics in the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust as at 30 September 2010-12 and 31 March 2013 
			 Full-time equivalent 
			  2010 2011 2012 March 2013 
			 West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust 1,168 1,237 1,342 1,423 
			 '—'= Zero. Notes: 1. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. 2010-12 figures are from the annual Non-Medical Workforce Census. March 2013 figures are from the Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics. Sources: 1. Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census. 2. Health and Social Care Information Centre Provisional Monthly Workforce Statistics.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burma

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department provides to displaced people living in model villages in Burma.

Alan Duncan: DFID support is not specifically targeted at so-called 'model villages', which some reporting refers to as camps for the forced relocation of people. DFID's supports to displaced people is targeted at those most in need. DFID provides support to the displaced people in Kachin State, Rakhine State and to those along the Thai-Burma border. In Rakhine State this support reaches both sides of the community.

Commonwealth

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether she has met with the Commonwealth Secretary General to discuss (a) her Department's Multilateral Aid Review update and (b) the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation; and if she will make a statement.

Justine Greening: I met with the Commonwealth Secretary General in July to discuss key issues of mutual interest, including the importance of ongoing reforms at the Secretariat, the Multilateral Aid Review update and DFID's continued support for the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation and the Commonwealth Youth Programme.

Commonwealth

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of whether the Multilateral Aid Review's methodology and criteria is a fair basis on which to judge the development activities of the Commonwealth Secretariat; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: The purpose of the Multilateral Aid Review (MAR) is to understand whether multilateral organisations provide value for money for UK aid, and therefore to ensure that taxpayers' money has the maximum impact for development. We are confident that the basis on which to assess the contribution of the Commonwealth Secretariat and other multilateral organisations to UK development objectives is a fair one.
	The Commonwealth is an irreplaceable international network of developed and developing countries. The Government recognises that the Commonwealth Secretariat has a unique role that goes beyond international development and is to the mutual benefit of its members. The MAR process, given its focus on UK development objectives, does not therefore encompass all aspects of that wider role.

Developing Countries: Family Planning

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to make progress in achieving the commitments agreed at the Government's Family Planning Summit in 2012, and in ensuring that all the Government's partners are working to achieve those commitments.

Justine Greening: Following the London Summit on Family Planning, DFID has worked with partners to establish Family Planning 2020, a global partnership and accountability arrangement to support and monitor progress to achieve the commitments made at the Summit.
	DFID has already funded the purchase of contraceptives in 2012-13, including over 4 million contraceptive implants. Work is under way to develop additional programmes to support DFID's own commitments made at the Summit.

Developing Countries: Family Planning

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made of progress on improving women's access to contraception in the developing world following the Government's Family Planning Summit in 2012.

Justine Greening: Following the London Summit on Family Planning, DFID has worked with partners to establish Family Planning 2020 (FP2020), a global partnership and accountability arrangement to support and monitor progress to achieve the commitments made at the summit. The first FP2020 progress report on improving women's access to contraception in developing countries is expected in the autumn.

Overseas Aid: North East

Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she next intends to visit the North East of England to update churches, aid groups and interested parties on the coordination of UK humanitarian and aid support to key developing countries.

Justine Greening: Although my plans for travel within the UK during the coming year have not yet been confirmed, I am keen to meet directly with faith-based communities and NGOs across the country, including in the North East of England.

Regulation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the title is of each regulation her Department (a) introduced and (b) revoked in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013 to date; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Witham (Priti Patel) on 16 May 2013, Official Report, column 390W.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how many answers by her Department to Parliamentary Questions involving tables of statistics fewer than four pages in length were (a) printed in full and (b) provided via a link to a website in the last year;
	(2)  what guidance her Department follows in determining whether statistics in answers to Parliamentary Questions are (a) provided in full, (b) provided via a link to a website and (c) placed in the Library.

Alan Duncan: DFID answers to parliamentary questions are a matter of public record and can be found in the Official Report.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Leader of the House of Commons, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson), on 12 February 2013, Official Report, column 649W.